Sponsoring a Princess
by mepb
Summary: A story about Keladry, in her third page year, asked by Lord Wyldon to sponsor a princess, the new betrothed of Prince Raold
1. Chapter One

This is a 'what if' story. I do not own any of these characters except Mitzi.

-Chapter One:  
  
Keladry walked briskly down the hallway of the page's dorm, glancing at the piece of paper in her hand; a message from Lord Wyldon telling her to come to his office. Kel didn't know what to expect. She mostly went to the trainer's office for punishment, like when she was caught fighting or slacking on chores -which was rarely ever- but she couldn't be perfect all the time. And the page who had brought the message didn't know what is was about either, but then again he had seemed rather shy talking to the only girl squire in the palace.  
  
The message, written on thick parchment in Lord Wyldon's stately scrawl said:  
  
To Page Keladry Mindelan:  
After the Noon Meal come to my office for a brief meeting.  
Your teachers know of your intended absence.  
  
Short and quick-to-the-point; typical of her trainer. As she turned a corner and drew closer to the office door, she crammed the paper into a pocket of her breeches and put on her best Yamani face so she could take whatever Lord Wlydon wanted with a calm attitude. When she entered the room the 'Stump' as Neal called him, was seated before his desk; maps and lists of inventory strewn over the large table. He was busy calculating something on an abacus, thick brows knitted together in concentration. Keladry itched to know what he was calculating; she rather liked doing math.

"Sit down," he told her while scribbling whatever answer he had gotten from his abacus down on a piece of paper. Kel sat down on cushy red chair; it was meant for larger knights, but even so it fit her tall height well. "I wanted to let you know that the reason I called you down here is not because you are in trouble. Rather, I need to inform you of a certain piece of information that should not be spread around."

"Sir?"

"I want to let you know that what I am requesting will be a voluntary act; but I think you will be the best for this because first off you are a girl...and...well, I believe you are trustworthy."

Keladry remained silent. Lord Wyldon did not give out compliments freely and this was probably one of the first times she had been called down to his office for a reason other than punishment. She knew that her training master was never comfortable with asking people for favors...so it was probably doubly hard for him to stoop down and ask a squire for a favor.

"I'm sure you know that the lady Prince Roald was formerly engaged to, unfortunately passed away. His new betrothed is from the country Norwestia. I personally do not approve of the match...it does not hold much political advantage. But apparently His Majesty King Jonathon is not so much interested in the political benefits of the engagement." Lord Wyldon paused and looked at Kel. "Do you understand me so far?"

"I'm afraid not quite, sir."

"Well listen up because I'm not quite sure how to explain this. There's this princess from Norwestia who is coming to Tortall for three reasons: The First being that she is very magically gifted, unusually so for a mortal, and requires training from Numair. The Second being that Norwestia is currently undergoing a Civil War and already two attempts at her life have been made. Her parents have requested that she come to the palace for safety. Thirdly, she is the new betrothed of the prince and so it is customary for her to spend time in Tortall, to learn the different customs etc." He nodded at Kel, giving permission for her to speak.

"I understand, sir. But why am I involved in this? I know nothing about Norwestian customs and I had not heard until now the news about the engagement."

"The engagement is rather recent. As I said before I do not believe that Tortall will gain anything from this marriage, but the princess does come with a large dowry, and the alliance of Norwestia. Also, King Jonathon used to take Prince Roald down to Norwestia on vacations and it seems the young prince and the princess were childhood friends." Lord Wyldon paused. "You must understand that this information must not be told to anyone," he ordered her.

"Of course, sir."

"Two attempts at the princess's life have already been made, and the chances of more happening are rising. So when the princess does arrive it will be secretly; she is to be treated like a page. She will only take a few combat classes -her parents have requested that she learn a few fighting skills- and will spend most of her time with Numair who will instruct her in magic."

Kel nodded, trying not to let confusion break her expressionless face mask.

"The princess will no doubt have a hard time adjusting to life here. She will need someone to help her. As a page she will need a sponsor. Every day she will be under guard -secretly of course- but will also need a friend."

Realization started to dawn on Kel.

"So I was going to ask you to be her sponsor. You will of course have to keep her position secret; you can't even tell your friends. It will be an added responsibility but all of the teachers will be aware of this task and will no doubt go easier on you. But the girl will have to act like a regular page -she won't have her ladies-in-waiting- so she'll need some time to adjust."

"Sir?" asked Kel.

"Who else knows this information?"

"The prince does. He and the Princess will no doubt want to meet each other. Also all the palace staff except for the servants."

"What will happen if I don't agree?"

"You are kind of our last resort," he answered gruffly. "Her parents specifically requested a capable girl be her sponsor."

"Then I agree," Kel said. She didn't always like her training master, but she knew she didn't like seeing him this anxious. She tried to convince herself that she was just sponsoring a first-year page, just like Neal had done for her two years ago- and not being a body guard to a princess. Lord Wyldon let out a sigh and a look of relief crossed his face.

"Good, the Princess Mitzi will arrive in three days."


	2. Chapter Two

-To MiSS CLAiRE: Thanks for your encouragement -To Trickstergal33: Thanks for pointing out that I repeated myself (I mean Lord Wyldon) I was finding it hard to put words in his mouth.  
  
-Chapter Two:

One of Lord Wyldon's servants came to fetch Keladry Mindelan during her archery lesson, telling her to go to the palace courtyard. The other pages were surprised that the archery teachers did not scold the girl for missing parts of the lesson; in this way Kel knew that whatever was happening was about the princess: the girl she was sponsoring. Her friend Neal, who was right beside her said,

"The Stump's calling you from class again?"

"I guess."

"That the third time over two days! Even I don't get in trouble that much!" Neal Queenscove was rather proud of his criminal record with the Stump. His quick tongue and wit caused his punishment work to pile up so fast that it was just taken for granted. "Have you been getting fights without us?"

"I'm just sponsoring a page who signed up late."

"This page must be someone real important. Let me guess...is he the son of Duke Langstin or Baron Jurgon?"

"Actually," answered Kel. "It's a she." She waited for his reaction and was not disappointed. The news actually caused Neal -who was just as good at archery as quick talking- to miss the target and veer dangerously off course.

"What? A girl?!" He asked, pushing his long blonde locks out of his eyes as if by seeing Kel better he could tell if she was lying or not.

"You have something against girls?" She asked with a smile.

"No, but...but." Knowing that she had already wasted enough time she turned and left Neal to tell the news to their other friends. Kel knew the Princess -the New Girl- would sit with them during meal time and she didn't want her friends to be unprepared. She set down her bow and before going towards the courtyard she quickly splashed some dirt off her hands and face from a horse trough in the stable. She knew that the princess was undercover and should not be treated like royalty, but still Kel wanted to at least look a little clean. In the rippling water she smoothed her hair and then trotted past the stables, the archery courts, and the tilting area into the courtyard. A small caravan of carriages and wagons pulled up through the two-tower gate and stopped before the steps into the palace; on these steps stood Lord Wyldon. Kel joined him.

"His Majesties King Jon and Queen Thayet wanted to be here to greet the princess," he told her. "But I told them it would be a bad idea. Wouldn't be against have Prince Roald here except he's down with a bad cold. So we'll be the only people here to greet them." He paused, watching a small carriage -drawn by two bay horses- pull up and stop at the front of the stairs. Four guards on horseback guarded the front and back of the carriage. "I was afraid that the King and Queen of Norwestia would send a whole army of soldiers to guard the princess of her way here. But apparently they knew that would attract too much attention...still, I wonder how we are going to keep her presence here secret."

Kel barely listened as her training master rambled on and on; obviously he was just talking to himself. She was busy thinking about how her schedule would change now that she had the duty of sponsoring a page. Many third and fouth year pages sponsored new pages, but none of them were princesses and even though they were to keep the Princess Mitzi's identity safe, you still had to be extra careful. Already things had changed. The student who had stayed in the room next to Kel's had been moved and in two day several crates and boxes -shipped from Norwestia- had been unpacked into that room. Kel was given a key to the princess's dorm so she could help the girl day and night; Kel didn't have the heart to tell Lord Wyldon that a regular page didn't have silken and perfumed sheets, a whole wardrobe of dressy-occasion clothes, or a large set of make-up jars.

A foot man came around to open the carriage door. Another officer, one of the princess's escorts, came over and announced. "The arrival of Mitziarianna Yunshard, Princess of Nor-..." the official stopped himself.

"Fool!" Lord Wyldon hissed at the official. "The girl is known as Mitzi Gurshew from now on and as long as she is here. The Baron and Baroness of Gurshew have agreed to claim the girl as their orphaned niece." The official nodded his head dumbly. But conversation was stopped as the footman escorted the princess was the inside of the carriage. The girl he escorted out was about the same age as Keladry. She had long reddish-brown hair that was braided and coiled around her head and gold-tinted skin that matched the ruffled yellow dress she wore.  
"

Sir?" she asked Lord Wyldon. Her voice was soft and regulated. "Is this the Tortallan Palace."

It is indeed my lady," the training master answered.


	3. Chapter Three

-To KandidKanadian: Sorry not to warn you that this story is a 'what if'. I'm trying my best to grasp the characters but face it, Tamora Pierce is such a good writer how could I ever continue in her footsteps?

-To Mango Sam: So glad you like it. There will be romance soon...hopefully, I'm not very good with that stuff and am trying to incorporate romance with action.

-to cauchemar: Sorry! I do get good grades in spelling...just trust me on this and I will change the title!  
  
To readers: This chapter is a little slow. Sorry. I'm trying to introduce plot and characters at the same time and that's hard. I promise future chapters will be better!  
  
-Chapter Three:

Keladry Mindelan walked with Princess Mitziarriana down the hallway, leading her to their rooms. On the way Kel studied the princess she was sponsoring. The girl was much shorter than her, but Kel had learned that she was taller then most 12-years-old. Mitzi's parents had obviously taken every care to make sure their third eldest daughter became a well-bred princess. Her posture was perfect and her movements graceful; her long reddish-brown hair had been coiled around her head, but the waves above her eyes were evenly trimmed. Her voice was soft and regulated; her body and complexion full of carefully tended beauty.

Ummm," Kel began. She was used to taking care of 'strays'. She had a whole flock of sparrows that she fed and an ugly but lovable mutt that followed her around. And Kel liked taking care of things. But a person...and a princess...was a different matter. "Lord Wyldon told me to tell you about who you are...well, only as long as you're here. Your name is Mitzi Gurshew, the orphaned niece of the Baron and Baroness of Gurshew. You're here to be trained in magic by Numair and were late in signing up to be a page because of a slight sickness."

They walked in silence for a little while; Kel busy planning what to do next. She knew that the princess would have to undergo a lot of changes. First off that hair had to be cut off. Secondly she needed some new clothes. Thirdly she would have to learn not to wear make-up and perfume; beauty would not matter during practices. Kel was a practical girl but she didn't know if the princess was so she took a few moments to figure out how to break this news to the new page.

"Now that you've told me who I am," Mitzi said before Kel could speak. "Could you also tell me who you are?" The girl kept on looking straight ahead but she sounded slightly interested.

"Well," began Kel. "My name is Keladry Mindelan -but you can call me Kel- and I'm am -or was now that you came- the only girl page here. When I was little I spent a lot of time in the Yamani Islands because my parents are diplomats so now I know a bit about different cultures. I also have two older sisters who are perfect ladies and some brothers who became knights."

"I see," answered Mitzi. "You're to be the one to help me?"

"Yes." By now they had come to their rooms. "Here's your key. It comes with a special lock." Mitzi took it gingerly. "You stay in your room," she ordered the princess. "I'm going to get you some clothes." She turned to leave but then added. "Oh...and be careful. Some of the boys here don't like girl pages. So just watch and lock the door behind you."

"Surely the boys wouldn't bother me..." Mitzi began to say. But then she realized what she had said and added. "Well, at least Sir Wyldon won't allow them to harm me."

"Don't be so sure of that. You're here as a page and he's gonna treat you like a page and that means you have to fend for yourself."

"I don't really want to learn how to fight," she said softly. But she said it so softly that Kel who had started walking down the hallway, didn't hear.

Kel left and quickly walked down to the storeroom and after giving a quick bribe to the storekeeper was able to collect the sets of clothing the princess required; three pairs of work breeches and study tunic and two leisure outfits of softer leggings and collared blouse with sash. When she came back she went back to her room first to grab a pair of scissors. There she was met enthusiastically by Jump, her dog, and all of the sparrows. Saying a quick hello she scurried back to Mitzi's room.

"Here's your clothing," she said, dumping the clothes on the bed. She stared uneasily at the Princess who was just staring into space; had she been doing that the whole time?

"Thank you-" Mitzi began, but stopped. "Why these are...are so course."

"Yes," agreed Kel. "You'll need sturdy clothing."

"But what about leisure time? I'm not wearing these during then," she said disgustedly. Then a blush rose to her face and she added, more humbly. "I'm sorry. My parents would be ashamed of me. I was raised polite. I was rude and ungrateful. I should be more thankful towards the people sheltering me." She then spotted the scissors Kel carried and once again her voice rose. "What are those for?"

"We need to trim your hair a bit," Kel said, trying to sound casual.

"My hair? I won't allow. I don't think that is necessary!"

"It is," said Kel, trying to explain. "In a fight the first thing an opponent latches onto is hair and it'll come off in chunks then. It's better to cut it short beforehand."

"I don't care. My parents were very proud of my hair."

"Please!" Kel stepped forward but Mitzi stood up quickly, proud and erect. Suddenly Kel realized that the princess was not as short as she seemed.

"Let me just cut it to your shoulders!" Kel took another step forward.

"Don't dare touch me!"

Kel stopped and looked at her. Mitzi looked back, calculating. She broke down first. "Fine," she said. "But it must be at least two inches below my shoulders." Kel realized there were tears in the girl's eyes. Was she that vain?

"You must think me vain," Mitzi said as if she had read Kel's mind. "It's just that my mother was so proud of my hair and it matches my pa's exactly. I just miss them, that's all. I can't even write to them."

The scissors snipped twice and long chestnut locks fell to the floor.  
  
"And I don't know where they are. Before I came here I was taken to my aunts...it's been six months since I last saw them. I'm afraid they'll be hurt, so many people hate them just because my uncle believes he really belongs on the throne."

More hair was cut off. Kel suddenly realized that the princess was crying...silently...like princess are taught to. Kel had finished cutting but she remained behind the princess.

"It's alright," she said. "I remember when I was little and I was too young to go with my parents when they went on their trips for some diplomatic reason. I was always so sad and I was too young to know where they were or how long they would be gone."

"So you'll understand?" Mitzi said, even crying her voice was perfectly pitched. "I've never had a girl-friend. I had my ladies-in- waiting but they weren't very well educated and I was never allowed outside the palace because the war started right after I was born."  
"

I've never had many friends that were girls either," Kel admitted. "Here I am surrounded by boys, some who think we don't belong here, and others who are endearing because I can bop them with poles."

This brought a smile from Mitzi, a perfectly brilliant smile.

By the time they left for the noon meal Mitzi was done crying, had been coaxed into wearing her page clothes, and Kel was thinking it might be nice having a girl to talk to for a change.


	4. Chapter Four

-To many reviewers: Sorry about the terribly obvious mistake i made. I will do some editing soon but just to clear stuff up Kel is a third year page, Neal a fourth-year, Joren a squire...oh, and Mitzi a first year page. Thanks for pointing out that error...how embarrassing!

-Also, I have plenty ideas for this story, but also am looking for suggestions that maybe i can add...

-Chapter Three:  
  
Keladry Mindelan took Princess Mitziarianna with her as they sat down at their usual table in the cafeteria filled with many tables crowded with pages and a few squires...all boys. Mitzi sat on the edge, across from Nealan Queenscove while Kel was wedged between Merric of Hollyrose and Seaver of Tasride; across from her was Faleron of King's Reach. All of the boys from red-haired Merric to black-eyed Seaver stared as the new girl page sat down.

Mitzi ignored their stares but as she placed her napkin on her lap she said quietly -but firmly-, "It's not polite to stare."

This got a chuckle from Neal and Mitzi turned her attention on him. He smiled widely at her but she only smiled back with an indifferent, princessy, smile. "Aren't you going to introduce us, Kel?" Neal asked.

"This is Mitzi, niece of the Baron and Baroness of Gurshew." Kel said, motioning to the slender chestnut-haired girl next to her. "Across from you, Mitz,i is Neal, next to me is Merric and Seaver, and sitting by Neal is Faleron." Mitzi greeted them all in turn.

"Where are your parents from, Mitzi?" Seaver asked.

"I'm afraid they are dead," Mitzi replied calmly. "They were killed in...in a small earthquake near the border of Norwestia."

"My sincerest apologies," Faleron said.

"Norwestia is pretty far from here," Seaver continued. "Have you traveled a lot?"

"No, not really. I grew up near...near Norwestia and didn't leave until I came to live with my aunt and uncle."

While this was going on Kel remained silent, listening carefully to the princess to make sure she didn't slip up. Mitzi was delivering this information very matter-of-factly and the whole time eating her meal daintily, only speaking once she had finished a small mouthful, never spilling a drop on her clothes, and holding her eating utensils properly.

"Probably a good thing that you came to Tortall," commented Neal shoveling food into his mouth and talking at the same time; Kel felt embarrassed for her friend. She could see Mitzi was trying to hide her disgust at the boys' eating habits; Kel could also see Neal had neglected to eat his vegetables. "From all the news we received the war is getting bad."

"You know information about Norwestia?" Mitzi said suddenly; her voice losing its levelness. She surprised everyone with her sudden interest as she leaned eagerly towards Neal; bad eating habits or not.

Neal too was startled but swallowed and replied. "Yes. Sir Myles has several spies stationed there. Why? Do you have friends there?"

Mitzi ignored the questioned and instead asked, leaning even closer. "Where is this Sir Myles? Tell me!"

"Here's over there sitting by Lord Wyldon," Neal answered, pointing to the largest table where the training master sat with the rest of the teaching staff. He seemed slightly intimidated by the tone that had entered her voice. For a little while Mitzi watched the slightly drunk history teacher with intent amber-brown eyes, until a strange feeling of being watched made her scan the rest of the pages and meet a pair of gorgeous light blue eyes. Squire Joren of Stone Mountain was staring at her with hatred.

"That's Joren of Stone Mountain," Faleron said, following Mitzi's gaze.

"But I thought he was a squire now!" Kel asked, surprised and annoyed. "I thought we had finally gotten rid of him!"

"No such luck," said Merric miserably. "The knight he is squire to is on duty here in the palace; we may be stuck with ol' Joren for a while."

"Joren doesn't like girl pages," Neal told Mitzi. "That's why he hates Kel...he also hates anyone who is more skilled in any subject than he is, which is why he hates me. He used to bully the younger pages with his group. I don't see any of them here but be certain that Joren will try something."

"He looks wealthy-" Mitzi said.

"but a spoiled rotten bully!" Seaver added.

Seeing that they had noticed him, Joren of Stone Mountain rose from the table of fourth-year pages he had been sitting at; Kel could see he hadn't wasted anytime in getting boys to back him up in fights. As he passed their table he said to the boy next to him, motioning to the two girl pages, "Look, they're multiplying...like cockroaches." The boy next to him sniggered.

Kel ignored the remark but Mitzi stiffened and replied, "I thought the chivalry of knights dictated that respect be shown to ladies."

Joren stopped and looked down at the princess. "You're not a lady. A lady stays at home taking care of the family and household. A lady wouldn't disgrace herself by losing all matrimonial potential by training amongst men for combat."

Mitzi placed a small mouthful of food into her mouth and swallowed before answering. "A lady wouldn't disgrace herself by insulting someone younger than her or who is of lower status than her. I am not a knight but I am pretty sure that the same rule goes for squires...and you, sir, are only disgracing yourself by your rudeness to me."

"Who do you think you are?" The boy next to Joren demanded.

"I'm Princes-" Mitzi started to say. But stopped herself and began again. "I'm only a lowly page."

"Than act like one?" Joren said. "Pages have to obey squires-"

"Leave her alone!" Merric said; he too had been bullied by Joren in his earlier page years. He and the other boys began to stand up.

"Well," said Joren, ready to leave. "I guess the girl's marriage potential might not dwindle as long as she continues her flirtations with you." Seaver and Faleron growled but Joren quickly left, satisfied to at least have the last word.

"Don't mind them," Neal said.

"So you guys don't mind having girls around?" Mitzi asked softly.

"At first I thought they shouldn't be here," Merric admitted. "I thought all women were weaker than men...but Kel proved me wrong and so did the Lioness. I guess the truth is that only a few women are weaker then men."

"Yeah," said Neal jokingly. "And I guess a few men must be weaker then women because I sure could use some help from Kel on my staff work." Kel smiled and blushed at the compliment.

The bell rang, telling people that lunch was over and the next part of the schedule had already started. The boys hurriedly picked up their plates and walked away. Mitzi followed Kel. "Speaking of marriage," she said. "Where is Prince Raold?"

"I'm afraid he's absent because of a sickness." Kel laughed at the alarmed look that came onto the princess's face. "Don't worry! It's just a slight cold."

"Will I get to see him soon?"

"We'll try."


	5. Chapter Five

-To Mango Sam: Yes, Mitzi and Roald will probably meet in a few chapters...  
  
-Chapter Five:  
  
Lessons started the next day for Princess Mitzi; too early in her opinion. She had not slept well the night before; despite the scented sheets of her bed and the portrait of her family on the wall...she still longed for her regular room in her aunt's palace in Norwestia. Kel had to wake the princess up the next morning to make sure she didn't oversleep. Mitzi was not taken to sleeping late...but she found it hard to wake up at around dawn.  
  
So it was that Kel dragged a sleepy Mitzi rather late into the cafeteria for the morning meal. Kel was aware of the fact that now given a day for news to spread, more and more boys were watching them as they passed from getting their food to their regular table. Mitzi had no time to scold any of the more offensive boys because before she was half-finished with her meal the bell rang and it was time for her first class. Because of their different years, in the archery class Kel and Mitzi were separated and Mitzi was acutely aware that she was surrounded by many boys, several of them hostile.  
  
Most of the boys in her class had had some experience in combat despite being only first-years. However Mitzi had had no need of any fighting skills, being a princess and not expecting to be sent to the Tortall Palace. Her teachers, well aware of this fact, tried to make it easier for her by pairing her up with a smaller boy for staff practice. But Mitzi was timid and shy and though her staff partner was small, he was cynical and thought it funny when Mitzi flinched at the sound their staff's made as they hit each other.  
  
Her Shang lesson went even worse. Mitzi did not have the height advantage Kel did nor the determination Alanna had...and because she did not have to work in the fields or in the household she was not very strong. She was timid about touching another person (as in trying to punch them) and when another person touched her (say as in blocking her punch) she became ruffled and angry.  
  
The boys did not make it any easier for her either. They right away noticed the not-so-subtle favoritism the teachers were showering on her by order of Lord Wyldon. They became very indignant and even Mitzi was able to understand their resentment of her. But by the end of the morning lessons she was only feeling sorry for herself. She had never felt this dirty, tired, or sore. And she, who had been brought up as a confident princess, was feeling very doubtful if she was going to survive many more morning classes. This was how she was feeling as she went over to her table to eat lunch with Kel and her friends. Her blank, stormy, face was enough to stop all but Merric - who was not very good on picking up subtle emotional hints - from talking to her.  
  
"Did you enjoy yourself?" he asked her with good enough intentions.  
  
Mitzi looked at him with a very queenly, very crushing, glance. "It went fine...just fine," she said airily.  
  
The talk went on around her, but the boys and Kel were careful...very careful...not to disturb her.  
  
So Mitzi was glad when afternoon lessons began. She had been very well-educated not only in womanly arts such as cooking, embroidery, and drawing, but also well-educated in arithmetic, geography and other such schools of learning. It was because of this that she was able to skip these classes in the afternoon and instead work with Numair on magic.  
  
Mitzi was the only magical one in her family; at least only the living ones because her great, great grandfather had had an impressive Gift which was how he had won the throne. His gift had been totally absent in his descendants until Mitzi came...and in her it was particularly strong. But she did not have much training in it; she was basically self-taught except for a few years when every day a mage came to teach her self-control so that no longer did she set tapestries aflame when she was mad or make plants wilt when she was sad.  
  
Unfortunately Mitzi was late to her first magic lesson because she insisted to Kel that she stop by her room to clean up a bit. Kel, knowing how difficult it must be for the princess, agreed and waited patiently for a couple of minutes expecting Mitzi to just clean her face and change her shirt. But to Mitzi, who had heard so much about Numair - one of the most powerful mages- and his lover Daine -god-blessed with a gift of wild magic- she had decided she needed to put on the best image of a royal princess of Norwestia.  
  
So she was dismayed when she heard the afternoon bell rang and realized she was only half-dressed in her silk brown dress. Kel was surprised too, and a bit exasperated when Mitzi poked her head out of the door with the laces of her black bodice still untied  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked the princess.  
  
"Getting dressed," she answered. "Was that really the bell?"  
  
""Fraid so," Kel replied grimly, she was not happy about the prospect of being late to class. Her first class was with Sir Myles and it was one of her favorites. "Are you done?" She tried to keep the impatience out of her voice.  
  
"I...I still need to do my hair..and-"  
  
"You don't have time for that! You don't need to dress up!"  
  
"But I'm meeting Numair and-"  
  
"He won't care what you're wearing," Kel said gently, pulling the girl out of her room and helping her tie her bodice. At first the princess looked flustered but then resumed her normal attitude and once again her face was indifferent.  
  
"Go off to your class," Mitzi ordered. She knew that Sir Myles classroom was far away from where Numair worked and she didn't want to make her sponsor any later. "I know where Numair's room is."  
  
Kel didn't need any persistent and ran off. Mitzi felt like running too, -lateness did not make a good impression- but her princess lessons were still embedded in her mind and she walked down the hallway briskly but gracefully. Unfortunately Mitzi was not as familiar with the palace as she believed and several times had to humble herself and ask palace servants for directions.  
  
But she did find herself before Numair's door and before entering quickly smoothed her dress and hair. Daine actually was the one who opened it for her, and Mitzi was surprised to find the wild mage dressed in a dirty tunic and breeches.  
  
"Hello," she welcomed the girl. Behind the brown-headed and gray-eyed girl was Numair, a tall, brown man. Mitzi swept into a well-practiced curtsy.  
  
"I apologize for my lateness."  
  
"Don't use any of those formalities, girl," Numair said cheerfully, beckoning her in. Mitzi immediately felt overdressed as she saw that Numair was shoeless, just wearing a casual pair of breeches and shirt.  
  
A silvery dragon waddled up to Mitzi curiously and sniffed the hem of her dress. Startled, Mitzi drew back with a small shriek. Her quick motions startled the young dragon and she in turn fell back, her wings outstretched and neck extended.  
  
"Don't be afraid of Kitten," Daine said, scooping the chirping reptile up into her arms and cuddling it.  
  
"I wasn't afraid," said Mitzi rather sheepishly, feeling she needed to preserve some of her dignity.  
  
"Won't you sit down?" Numair invited, motioning to several comfortable chairs around a small table with a tea-tray on it. The chairs looked inviting enough to the tired princess but birds and all sorts of small rodents were perched on cushions or hiding behind chair legs. She stiffly settled down on the edge of a red chair, sitting straight up, trying to keep her back far away from the large crow perched on the rear of her chair. She accepted a cup of tea from Daine and tried to ignore a white- footed mouse that was nibbling her new -very expensive- shoes.  
  
"You can talk freely here," Numair said as he positioned his long legs and arms so that he was sitting comfortably. "I have spells protecting against eavesdroppers and other similar scrying spells. No one will overhear anything that goes on in this room."  
  
Mitzi loosened visibly, but if that was because of what Numair just told her or because the crow had just flown over to Daine, no one knew.  
  
"Do you have any training?" Numair asked her.  
  
"Not much," Mitzi replied, settling several napkins over her skirt...she had just seen a sparrow leave droppings over a near-by chair cushion. "But I am able to control my magic. I won't blow up anything unless I want to." The princess did not mean to be humorous but a smile crossed Daine's features. "And I can do small things that don't need complex spells to them...I had to teach myself and don't know any larger spells."  
  
"Well that's a start," Numair said and placed his cup back down on the table. 


	6. Chapter Six

I luv all of you who review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This chapter has almost nothing to do with the plot, still, i hope you like it. Do you think Mitzi is a bit out of character?

Disclaimer: I own nothing expect Mitzi...

-Chapter Six:  
  
"I'll finally get to meet him?"  
  
"Yes," Keladry Mindelan replied to the princess. "Prince Roald has gotten over his sickness and wants to meet you."  
  
Mitzi blushed slightly, something Kel had never seen the girl do before.  
  
"Are you alright?" she asked, teasingly.  
  
"I'm fine. When are we gonna meet?"  
  
"After the evening meal. In Sir Myles's room."  
  
"And you're telling me this now?" questioned the princess. "The evening meal is in an hour!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"That barely gives me enough time to prepare!"  
  
Kel didn't reply.  
  
"Will you come help me get ready?"  
  
Kel seemed slightly scared by this prospect. She knew Mitzi's obsession with her image and didn't know if she wanted to be dragged into another episode. But even though Kel was supposed to be Mitzi's sponsor, she had become accustomed to doing anything the princess wanted.  
  
"I will, but I know nothing about clothes...or...or make-up...-"  
  
"That doesn't matter," said Mitzi quickly. "You're a girl."  
  
It was true that Kel didn't know anything about clothes, or make-up, or...but she found herself amused as she watched Mitzi get ready. The princess's room had been fully furnished to suit royalty/page. Her weapons and armor -all of best quality- were placed on one wall, and on the opposite wall was all the needs of a vain princess: a full length mirror, a hand mirror with matching comb, and a mirror above a small desk with several small jars on it.  
  
"What is all this stuff?" Kel asked, picking up the jars and reading the labels.  
  
Princess Mitzi didn't answer. She was too busy choosing what dress she should wear. She had taken several out of her wardrobe and spread them across her four-poster bed.  
  
"Which one do you think I should wear?"  
  
Kel went over. All of the dresses were beautiful and expensive. One was dark green, another light blue, then a yellow, and the last one red. "Does it really matter which one you wear?"  
  
Mitzi thought about this for a moment. "No...I guess not. But still, which one do you like best?"  
  
"That blue is nice-"  
  
"But the sleeves would be so in the way!"  
  
"Then how about the red-"  
  
"Oh dear, it's missing a button!"  
  
"The yellow is pretty-"  
  
"But it's getting short on me!"  
  
Kel, exasperated at getting interrupted, clenched her jaw.  
  
"So that leaves the green one for me to wear tonight. See, Kel? You are a big help!" Mitzi smiled.  
  
Kel noticed that that smile got the princess everything. For a moment the page thought how it might be nice for once the princess to want something and not get it. Kel liked Mitzi, but the girl was spoiled.  
  
But Mitzi was too busy. Right now she was opening a jar. Kel picked up a small brush. "This is a new packet of green eye-shadow," she was saying. "But I don't think it's the right shade for me."  
  
"Uh-huh." Kel was studying the brush.  
  
"I know!" said Mitzi. She grabbed Kel's arm and placed her own next to it. "We're the same shade of skin color!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"We'll, it'll take me too long to find the right color if I do it on myself. Washing the stuff off will be a chore itself, especially if I try several different shades. So I'll try the color on you first!"  
  
Kel had never seen Mitzi this enthusiastic. '  
"I don't know-"  
  
But Mitzi had already drawn up a chair, pushed Kel into it and opened up several jars. Out came the brushes and cloths. Kel could easily have pushed past Mitzi, but not only did she not want to harm the princess but she was...well, a little curious about what an ordinary girl wore everyday.  
  
But Kel had changed her mind after a couple of minutes. It seemed that Mitzi not only wanted to find the right shade of green to match her outfit, but she also wanted to give Kel a whole knew look.  
  
"What's that?" asked Kel warily as Mitzi took out a tube and covered a brush with a black paste.  
  
"It's for your eyelashes. It makes them longer and darker."  
  
"And you are putting this stuff on me because...?"  
  
"It's fun!"  
  
No-nonsense Mitzi leaned forward and swept the brush across Kel's eyelashes.  
  
"Ahhh! You got it in my eye!"  
  
"Stop being such a baby," laughed Mitzi. "Stop blinking while it dries."  
  
"Sure, laugh," sulked Kel. "Sorry if I didn't know blinking could be dangerous."  
  
"Mascara will hardly make you go blind."  
  
The door opened.  
  
"What's going on in here?" drawled a husky voice. Neal popped his head in. "I heard shrieks...whose killing who? I hope Kel wasn't showing you her knew staff moves because they really hurt."  
  
"Neal!" shrieked Kel. She attempted to hide her face but Mitzi had already swung the chair around so Neal and Kel were facing each other.  
  
"Kel!" shrieked Neal. He stopped in mid-step.  
  
Kel looked accusingly up at Mitzi. "What did you do to my face?"  
  
"No, it's not that," explained Neal. "You look...great...I was just surprised."  
  
"Here, look at yourself," ordered Mitzi, handing Kel a mirror.  
  
Kel did and almost shrieked...again. She had always looked down upon a lot of girls who wore excessive make-up, but looking at what it did to her almost made her want to get some herself. The green on her lids brought out the color in her eyes, and the dark mascara and eyebrow pencil made her face paler so she didn't look so brown.  
  
Kel looked up at Neal...and then almost wished she hadn't for he was staring at her.  
  
"It's not polite to stare," snapped Mitzi.  
  
"I probably should wash this stuff off," Kel began.  
  
"But I'm not finished!" protested Mitzi.  
  
"Well, you need time to do yourself."  
  
"I have time...besides, I'm enjoying myself. I never had a girlfriend to do this with before."  
  
Kel stopped.  
  
"Sit," ordered Mitzi. "And then you can help me do mine."


	7. Chapter Seven

-Mango Sam: huggles

-Chapter Seven:  
  
Kel and Mitzi -dressed in all her princess finery- walked down the hallway. They had gotten special permission from Lord Wyldon to be out after curfew, so no one was in the hall to see them. Mitzi stopped by a nearby fountain and looked at her reflection, fixing a curl that had escaped the rest which were piled on top of her head.  
  
"You look fine," said Kel. Because Kel was Mitzi's sponsor, and the staff didn't want Mitzi and Roald to be alone, she had been appointed their chaperone; she wasn't looking forward to it. She knew how shy Roald could be sometimes and how capable of being indifferent Mitzi was.  
  
"I know," answered Mitzi with a conceited smile. But the smile disappeared as she continued. "But...but I am nervous."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About meeting him...tell me what he looks like!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because!"  
  
"Fine! He has wavy black hair and blue eyes."  
  
"How tall is he?"  
  
"I don't know...maybe an inch shorter than me?"  
  
"Oh good, I'd never want to dance with a man shorter than me."  
  
"In my case it's kinda hard. I'm taller than most of the boys in my page year."  
  
"Well, that doesn't matter since you aren't betrothed!...what if I don't like him?"  
  
"The Prince? Everybody likes him."  
  
"I hope I do too," said Mitzi dejectedly. "I always thought I was used to the idea of meeting my betrothed. But now I'm scared to meet him. Ever...ever since I was told about Roald I imagined him as...well, Prince Charming. But now what if he isn't anything like how I imagined him and I spend the rest of my life disappointed?"  
  
Kel didn't have an answer for that.  
  
They had come to the door of Sir Myles room. Kel went to open it, but Mitzi stopped her. She needed a moment to fluff her skirt, rearrange her black bodice, and make sure her pearl necklace and earrings were straight.  
  
"Are you done?" Kel asked, a little impatiently. It seemed like the hundredth time Mitzi had stopped to make sure she looked okay. Mitzi didn't answer, just gave Kel a withering, queenly, look. She straightened her posture, put up her head and walked in as Kel opened the door.  
  
Prince Roald was waiting for them. Sir Myles room was usually for history and current events, and there were maps and other tools strewn around the room. But on one of the tables -the table the prince was sitting next to- was placed a tea tray, candles and a vase of roses.  
  
The prince was wearing fancier clothes than his normal page outfit; a light blue tunic made of silk with a gold sash. He bowed -from the waist- as Mitzi entered. She in turn swept into a curtsy, her dark green skirt flaring in a half circle around her. As she rose again -gracefully- they seemed to both take a moment just to look at each other. Their engagement had been signed three seasons ago and at last they were able to meet.  
  
Finally Mitzi remembered her manners, drew her eyes away from the prince and asked, without a tremble in her modulated voice. "Are you well, sire? I heard you were suffering from a cold."  
  
"I am better now."  
  
Mitzi held out her hand -a bit stiffly- and the prince took it, leading her over to the table and drawing up a chair.  
  
"Oh no," thought Kel. She saw Mitzi becoming stiff and a bit indifferent, as the girl always did when she was nervous or flustered; it was her way of hiding her feelings. But the princess obviously didn't know that Roald was a bit shy and sensitive; just a little bit of coldness in anyone's reaction towards him turned him off. And she hoped they weren't going to go through all the formalities otherwise they would never have time to talk!  
  
Desperately Kel poured the tea and tried to make conversation. Kicking Roald in the ankle as she passed she urged him on.  
  
"Are you enjoying your stay here?" Roald finally asked after stirring his tea more than enough times.  
  
"Yes," replied Mitzi who seemed to find the embroidery on her napkin fascinating. "The people are delightful."  
  
"And your classes?"  
  
"I'm managing."  
  
Another awkward pause.  
  
This time Kel urged Mitzi to speak.  
  
"I am most thankful to your family for allowing me to come here," she said.  
  
"I hope it has not been too hard a transition."  
  
Kel could have screamed in frustration. Neither royal persons seemed to be making an effort to get to know each other. Why couldn't they just stop being so stiff and just be themselves? Kel didn't usually try to play matchmaker, but she had a good idea that Roald and Mitzi would get along as soon as they got to know each other...which might take a long time.  
  
"It will still take some time for me to get used to the idea of hitting other people with pointed sticks," said Mitzi with a slight smile. "But so far I haven't let slip that I am a princess... and for now that is enough of an accomplishment."  
  
Kel brightened. Roald was grinning at Mitzi's remark. Humor. Humor was good and now that Mitzi had smiled -that smile which people found so charming- things should go up.


	8. Chapter 8

-To BloodRoseOTDemon, PsychoLioness13, and Mango Sam: You guys are the best! Luv all of ya!!!!!

-Chapter Eight:  
  
Mitzi was still in a daze the next day at her staff lesson. She wasn't sure what to think about last night, about her first meeting with Prince Roald. And there he was, practicing tilting with the fourth-years just in the next yard over. How was she supposed to practicing blockings when her betrothed was in her sightline?  
  
And truth was, Princess Mitzi didn't know what to think about the Prince. She was relieved that he was at least good-looking...but it hadn't been love at first sight. In fact, she had been so nervous she didn't really remember anything that had happened. They had barely talked. He had never made eye-contact with her!  
  
She had told these feelings to Kel, so Kel, looking over at the princess, who had just clumsily missed a block, knew why the girl was careless today. In fact, Prince Roald had also talked to Kel. Actually, Kel had stayed after the meeting to demand that the prince tell her what he thought of Mitzi. And here is what he said: "She's charming...but lacking something."  
  
Kel knew what Mitzi was lacking. The princess had been nervous and had been cold...she was lacking what liveliness she usually had. In trying to hide her nervousness, the princess had also hidden her personality.  
  
Thwap!  
  
That sound was not unfamiliar in the practice courts. It was the sound of the wood of a staff hitting something other than the wood of another staff. Usually this sound came when a staff contacted fingers, arms, legs, and the occasional head.  
  
"Ahhh!" came a shriek. A girl shriek. A shriek of pain from Mitzi who, in her carelessness, had gotten smacked right on the collarbone.  
  
Practice did not stop. The other pages continued doing their own blocks. It happened all the time. When it had happened to Kel herself she had just gotten up and continued practicing...that was what the teachers expected.  
  
But immediately two of the teachers rushed over to the princess and helped her up.  
  
"Why do the teachers help her?" one page grumbled. "Yesterday I got hit on the head and they didn't even ask me if I was hurt."  
  
"I know," agreed another voice next to Kel. "My fingers got all swollen and they told me to continue!"  
  
"Look!" muttered another boy. "Now they're taking her over to the side! She's gets to miss practice?"  
  
"It's because she's a girl."  
  
"Why don't we get special treatment?"  
  
Mitzi, leaning on a teacher who was helping her over to a bench on the edge of the practice courts, heard these comments made just loud enough so she could hear them. Her face burned but she tried to keep her head up even though it hurt her neck muscles to do it. How stupid she felt right now...sitting out because of a bruise on her neck when other boys continued! And how embarrassing that so much attention had been brought to her missed block...it seemed everyone knew that she was behind in all her combat classes.  
  
"Grue! Partner up with Juvil!" shouted one of the staff teachers, taking the boy whom Mitzi had been paired up with and putting him with another boy. Mitzi knew that the Grue probably felt relieved at having a new partner. No one liked being her partner because she was not fast enough to keep up with the pace the teachers set.  
  
If only she wasn't so weak and could tell the teacher she would continue! But it had been a hard day and she succumbed to the comfort of the bench, letting her tired muscles rest...and it felt good despite the throbbing muscles in her neck. And how tempted she was to tell the boys why she deserved this special treatment!  
  
After all, she was a princess, and a princess shouldn't get hurt too much, even if she was under disguise. She deserved to be able to take a break...and rest!  
  
Suddenly Mitzi noticed that there was an older boy across the court, staring at her. It was Joren of Stone Mountain. And he was looking at her darkly. Had he been here the whole time? Now Mitzi felt embarrassed. How terrible that he should have seen her get hurt after she had yelled at him for saying girls were weaker than boys. And here she was, sitting out because she was weaker.  
  
"Here you go," said one of the teachers, handing Mitzi a cup of water. She took it and drank it thirstily.  
  
As the teacher walked away, shouting at one boy to stay in tempo, another voice broke into Mitzi's thoughts. "Take it easy, princess." Mitzi looked up into Joren's blue eyes. "Don't like my new nickname for you?"  
  
Mitzi was desperately trying not to panic. Did he just call her 'princess'? Had he found out? "You'll like my nickname for you even worse," she said, as airily as possible. It was probably just a coincidence.  
  
Joren's eyes narrowed. "Why do you get to sit out?"  
  
"I...I got hurt."  
  
"And the teachers let you sit out?"  
  
Mitzi didn't reply. She didn't want to admit how such a little thing was hurting her.  
  
Joren was studying her. "You see," he burst out. "This is why girls shouldn't be allowed to train as pages. You can't take the stress of training...and the teachers favor you."  
  
Mitzi turned her head away, trying to ignore the older squire.  
  
"I've been talking to the other boys, and they all say that the teachers favor you...let you sit out. Give you easier chores to complete...even excused absences! And I want to know why! It's not fair that you girls can get off easy while we boys are working hard!"  
  
Mitzi, who for once had no snappy answer, was relieved that the bell ran and she was able to leave Joren and go to her magic lesson.  
  
"I'll find out why!" came Joren's voice behind her.


	9. Chapter Nine

-Come on people, review! I won't put the next chapter up until i get 5 more!!! You hear! Five more from different people! I'm sick and tired of my best friend having like 100 more reviews than me! I'm better writer than she is...opps, she's in the room with me...and reading over my shoulder...I luv her so much!!!

-Chapter Nine:  
  
"Here, try this," Kel said, showing Mitzi a small bottle.  
  
"What is it?" The princess opened the lid, touched the white cream, and smelled the fragrance.  
  
"It's something I received -from someone unknown- that helps heal cuts and bruises."  
  
As Mitzi tested it on the blue-purple bruise near her neck, Neal walked into the hall that the pages used to study in. He came over to their table where Mitzi, Kel, Merric and Faleron were sitting, their books strewn around, notebooks open and quills resting in ink bottles.  
  
"Hello," he greeted them all with a wide smile. Seaver and Merric looked up from their etiquette books, giving the green-eyed boy dark glares. "Why looking so glum, friends?"  
  
"Why are you looking so happy?" Merric replied. "We have so much homework today! I'll probably have to stay up all night working on this essay."  
  
Neal didn't reply, just whistled nonchalantly as he sat down, hands empty.  
  
"You're done!?!?!?" Seaver asked, disbelievingly.  
  
"Maybe," answered Neal, leaning back in his chair, placing his feet upon the table.  
  
"Well then," suggested Faleron hopefully. "You can help us?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Get your feet off the table before Lord Wyldon comes around," Kel said, shoving his feet off the table.  
  
"Not wearing any make-up today, dear?"  
  
Seaver and Merric chuckled.  
  
"I'm pretty sure Mitzi has the perfectly shade of blue that will go perfectly with the bruise I'm about to give you," retorted Kel.  
  
"Really?" asked Mitzi with a smile. "Then show it to me so I can use it...the bruise on my neck is noticeable enough."  
  
"I can help you with that," Neal said. He rose from his seat.  
  
"My homework?" asked Seaver.  
  
"No...Mitzi's bruise."  
  
"You can help that?" the princess asked.  
  
"Yeah, he's got healing magic," answered Merric, unaware that he was smearing ink over his freckles as he itched his nose.  
  
"It runs in my family," Neal said with a disarming grin.  
  
"I'm not so sure."  
  
Neal gave the princess a moment to think about it. She moved her neck a bit, wincing every time. She rubbed the sore area gently.  
  
Kel knew that Princess Mitzi hated human contact. As a princess she was used to people keeping their distance. So she was surprised when Mitzi answered, "Why, thank you Neal."  
  
And for some reason it made her jealous when Mitzi pulled her tunic a little lower over her shoulder so that Neal could place his hands over the center of her bruise. It seemed like she couldn't pull her eyes back to her book.  
  
Mitzi let out a satisfied sigh as Neal's green magic seeped into her skin. As he spread his fingers out his gift turned the purplish skin into its original amber-hued color. None of the other boys seemed to be aware that Neal's head was rather close to Mitzi's...so close that his brown locks were hiding the princess's face from Kel's view.  
  
As Kel tried to focus on her book, Prince Roald, who sometimes studied with them, walked over with his own schoolbooks. He stopped right behind Kel as he, too, spotted Neal and Kel. But of course, it wasn't like they were doing anything wrong.  
  
"Hey Neal!" Roald said, rather sharply, so that Neal snapped his head up. "I...I need some help with this math problem."  
  
"Alright," replied the boy. "But Kel's better at math than I am."  
  
"I'm kinda busy," Kel broke in...a little too snappily than necessary.  
  
"Okay," said Neal innocently, taking his hands away from Mitzi's neck and sitting next to Roald.  
  
"That's better," said Mitzi, kinda surprised. She swiveled her head around and a pleased smile made her bright amber eyes crinkle.  
  
"Isn't it?" asked Neal, looking up from Roald's math book. "My father taught me well in healing magic, huh?"  
  
"Neal!" insisted Roald, before Mitzi could answer. "I really need help on this problem."  
  
"My neck feels perfectly fine again-" continued Mitzi.  
  
"Mitzi, you think you might hand me my quill?" Kel asked, trying desperately to get the girl to stop distracting Neal.  
  
"So how did you get that bruise?" Neal asked.  
  
"I...I missed a block in staff practice."  
  
"Oh...I get those all the time...not very good at staff work myself."  
  
"NEAL!" said Roald. "My math!"  
  
"MITZI!" said Kel. "My quill!"  
  
"Oh...right," chuckled Neal, returning to the math. "This problem is easy...here, this is how you do it."  
  
"I wish...wish that someone would help me with my staff work," said Mitzi softly. "Then I wouldn't get any more bruises...I hate seeing my skin all purple and blue."  
  
"Don't look at me," muttered Kel; she was feeling anything but hospitable to the princess.  
  
"I'll help you," broke in Roald, looking up from his math. "I have plenty of free time. And I'm almost as good as Kel."  
  
'Who's having trouble focusing now?" Neal said, smiling teasingly at Roald.


	10. Chapter 10

Alright...so I didn't get five more reviews...ah well. I couldn't help myself...i MUST continue writing... I may not have gotten five reviews, but the reviews I did get from Mango Sam, oceanspike, and PyschoLioness33 were GREAT! (now I sound like tony tiger...sigh)  
  
-Chapter Ten:  
  
Mitzi walked into the dorm Numair and Daine shared. It was time for her daily magic lesson and she was looking forward to it. The past days they had been practicing transfiguration spells...turning things into other things. Mitzi found that she quite enjoyed turning the big scary crows that insisted on sitting near her into harmless balls of wax.  
  
Plus, Mitzi realized, this was one thing she was actually good at. While she was clumsy and useless at her fighting classes, Numair told her without hesistation that she was his best student...of course almost no one knew that she had the Gift.  
  
Kitten chirped as Mitzi entered. Mitzi, not afraid anymore of the baby dragon, reached down and stroked the frill running down the reptile's neck.  
  
"Good morning Master Numair and Lady Daine," Mitzi said, giving a slight curtsy before sitting down in her usual chair.  
  
"Glad you're here," answered Numair, he seemed slightly more mellow than usual, and Daine's stubborn gray eyes now held more sadness in them.  
  
But Mitzi didn't notice any of this, she was too busy caught up in her own small problem, for she had just spotted a book lying on the table. "This isn't my transfiguration book! You've shown me this one before...it has the darker spells in it. Are we not practicing transfiguration today?"  
  
Numair shook his head.  
  
"But why? I don't want to change books now!"  
  
One of Daine's crows was coming dangerously near Mitzi and she wondered how easy it would be to turn it into a gourd.  
  
"Mitzi!" snapped Daine sharply. "Leave the crow alone! Can't you focus? We need to talk to you!"  
  
The princess's head turned back around and she erased the spell from her mind. She was shocked...never before had Daine...or anyone in the Tortallan palace spoken to her in such a rough matter. Instead of humbling her, Daine's word only made her angry.  
  
"What is it?!" she snapped back.  
  
"I was just explaining to you why we're changing books," Numair answered.  
  
Mitzi looked scornfully at the book on the table. Nonchalantly she twisted her fingers, as if wrapping something around them. Immediately a leather-bound volume from the bookshelf across the room left its shelf and made its way towards her. She reached out to take the transfiguration book out of midair.  
  
"Mitzi!" Numair sighed. And twisting his own fingers countered Mitzi's spell.  
  
Mitzi look at him, silent and defiant.  
  
"Mitzi, listen to me. Lord Wyldon and the other board members have ordered me to start teaching you spells that will be useful in combat. Defensive shields against arrows, offensive spells that can keep you safe."  
  
"But I don't need to learn those spells! Once I'm married the only magic I'll need are the spells that will make it easier for me to run the palace household. I don't plan to go off and fight! Those spells will be useless to me!"  
  
"Mitzi...you're mother and father were captured," Daine suddenly burst out. "And the enemy knows you're here!"  
  
They watched the color drain from Mitzi's face. 


	11. Chapter Eleven

To: PyschoLioness33, Mango Sam, oceanspike: Thanks 4 ur reviews! Maybe I'm moving this story a little too fast...but there will be MANY more chaps!

-TO Lady Knight Daine: Glad to get a new reviewer!!!!!! Luv ya!  
  
-Chapter 11:  
  
"What!!??" sputtered Mitzi. The room had been silent until then, even the animals kept quiet.  
  
"Your mother and father -the King Geoff and Queen Lily of Norwestia- were captured three days ago," repeated Numair softly. He appeared quite calm but his brown eyes were troubled. Both he and Daine loved the vain, but charming princess...it hurt them to have to break the news. But Lord Wyldon knew of their friendship with the girl and had decided that she would hear the news best from a friend. It was probably better that they did it anyway...imagine hearing Wyldon trying to do this!  
  
"How?" She demanded, her eyebrows pushed up, giving a strained look to her face.  
  
"Their castle -the palace you used to live in- has been under siege for weeks. Your uncle had the whole city surrounded. It was only a matter of time before the castle supplies ran out. The archers needed new arrows but there was no more wood...the people food, but no supply carts were allowed into the city after it was captured."  
  
Mitzi looked down, her amber-colored eyes moving back and forth as if she was reading and trying to absorb information.  
  
"But how did Uncle Henri manage...when I left, not two seasons ago he had no army...no supporters...nothing! How did he manage to conjure up such a large force as to capture the city Hali? How did his weaponry exceed my father's?"  
  
"Your uncle did get support honey," Daine said. "In fact he has gained the alliance of the Lorderr province."  
  
"But that's not even part of Norwestia! Why would it join into the fight?"  
  
"Because you were betrothed to the prince of Lorderr before Tortall's Roald."  
  
"Who else has betrayed?"  
  
"Several other small provinces...but the problem is that these provinces hold land full of immortals; centaurs, hurroks, and griffins are all being captured and used against Norwestia."  
  
"My parents..." Mitzi once again went pale and Daine scrambled to get together a tray of tea.  
  
"We don't know what condition they are in," Numair answered, taking a cushion and propping Mitzi up, against her chair. "Sir Myle's spies only returned recently and they had no news."  
  
Daine returned with some steaming tea and forced a cup into the princess's grasp. "There's nothing we can do for them," she said firmly. "But we can try to protect you."  
  
"They know I am here?"  
  
"Yes, once your Uncle captured the palace they questioned almost all the servants working there...and several admitted that they knew you had been sent away. Under torture those same servants confessed that you had been sent here, under disguise."  
  
"I wish I knew which servant told!" Mitzi said suddenly. "I'd kill them!"  
  
"No need to do that," Numair commented. "Your uncle already did."  
  
Mitzi blinked several times.  
  
"If they know I'm here...will they try to attack?"  
  
"That's what Lord Wyldon and the King are worried about."  
  
"All because of me..." Mitzi thought guiltily of her friends. Of how supportive they had been even though they knew not what she was going through. And now their lives might be risked because her uncle sought her.  
  
"We have the palace under double guard and more spies have been sent out. But there could be an attack any day...maybe not directly from your uncle, Henri Yunshard, but perhaps from immortals he sends."  
  
Mitzi set her teacup down, suddenly.  
  
"We have all sorts of protections set up," Numair continued. "But it's best if we teach you a couple defensive spells to protect yourself...which is why we are switching books."  
  
Mitzi didn't reply.  
  
"Mitzi," Daine asked. "Are you listening?"  
  
"I must go," said Mitzi abruptly, as if coming out of a daydream. She stood up and moved to the door. Daine grabbed her arm.  
  
"I really must go," said Mitzi so calmly and firmly that Daine the Wildmage let go and the princess was able to flee down the hall.  
  
-Meanwhile:  
  
Prince Roald walked down the hallways. He needed to think.  
  
"The Princess Mitzi is in danger," his parents had told him not five minutes ago. "And what more, Tortall could be attacked."  
  
Roald still didn't know much about Mitzi...but he was loath to have her hurt, and what more killed so that they would have to find another princess for him to be engaged to. After all, Mitzi seemed charming...and he didn't want to take a chance in the next princess being worse.  
  
For a moment he wondered how Mitzi was taking the news.  
  
The prince rushed down the hallways, glad for the solitude that he need when thinking...hard.


	12. Chapter Twelve

-To Kore Yan: This is a mix of Mitzi-Roald fic and possibly Kel and Neal...not exactly sure

-To PyschoLioness33: Sorry about the grammar errors...hope there are not as many in this chapter...I read it over like fifty times to make sure!

-To everyone: Wow...this is a longer chapter than i've written in a while, and it's not that long so it means the others have been really short...oh well. I think I have almost everything planned out...and just so you know there will be more Neal-Roald jealousy in about four chapters.  
  
-Chapter 12:  
  
Mitzi rushed down the hallway. One of her first princess lessons ringing in her ears: Never let the public see you cry. Mitzi knew that she desperately needed a private place to go.  
  
But the strain was too much and soon large tear drops were sliding down her face even as she ran on. She was trying not to think as her feet moved automatically...all she could think about was not crying. But even as she focused on this her vision became blurry from more tears and she tripped and fell.  
  
Her elbow scraped the ground as she dropped and pain shot up her whole arm. Now Mitzi was unable to control her sobs and she did not try any longer to contain her tears and instead looked up and found herself in the palace garden. Luckily it was deserted and she scrambled up and waded through the blooming flowers and trees until she collapsed at a merrily flowing fountain, letting her tears drop into the fountain water.  
  
-Meanwhile:  
  
Roald, too, was headed towards the garden. He knew it was the one place he could find solitude from people. Solitude from the guards who always followed him, quiet from staff always offering suggestions and opinions when not wanted, and escape from his parents who had just told him this dreadful news.  
  
He walked along a pebbled path, looking fondly at the blooming flowers. He rather liked gardening but kept that a secret. He came to the small clearing where in the middle was a large fountain; he could hear the spilling water...but right at the base of the stone ornament was sprawled a girl, her face buried in her hands and legs tucked underneath her red skirt.  
  
Could it be? He wondered and stepped forward. Sure enough it was Mitzi and her shoulders quaked with sobs...weeping that was so silent he couldn't hear it. He wondered uneasily if he should go get Kel...deciding that this was best he turned around. But the heel of his boots scattered the gravel in the path and the sound caused the princess to jerk her head up and look -surprised- in his direction.  
  
"Damn," the prince thought silently. Too late to go for Kel. He would have to do this by himself.  
  
"Ohh," gasped Mitzi, surprised, and she embarrassedly hid her face.  
  
Roald shuffled his feet uneasily. "Sorry to bother you," he finally said.  
  
"It's no bother," you would never have guessed that Mitzi had been crying by the sound of her voice. But she still didn't look at the prince.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked her, taking a step forward.  
  
At the sound of his feet coming nearer Mitzi buried her face into her arms, which where perched on the edge of the fountain, as if ashamed. "I'm fine...really."  
  
Her voice disguised her feelings and though Roald wanted to believe that nothing was bothering her...he knew that he couldn't just leave. Why didn't his knight lessons prepare him for something like this?  
  
"Really...there's nothing wrong. I...I..." but Mitzi wasn't able to finish the sentence.  
  
Treating her like a skittish deer he walked over to the other side of the fountain and peered at her between two spouts of water cascading down from the mouths of two gargoyles.  
  
"I guess you heard the news," he said, staring at her reflection in the water, disturbed by all the ripples. He wished he could see more of her face and see what she was really feeling.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I'm...I'm sorry," he said before he could even think. And he realized that he really was sorry. Sorry that this poor princess, who was far away from her real home, had to try and deal with the idea of both her parents being captured.  
  
At this Mitzi lifted her head slightly...so slightly that he could only see her wet eyelashes above the red sleeves of her dress. He never forgot the look of her amber eyes, brighter than usual because of her tears, looking up at him through wet and hooded lids.  
  
"Thanks," she said. But after that quickly buried her face into her dress once again.  
  
"Is...is there anything I can do?" he asked her, right now all he wanted was for her to lift her head again.  
  
"I don't know." Her voice was muffled and she was shaking again.  
  
Taking the chance Roald silently slid around the circular edge of the fountain so that now he was almost next to her.  
  
"I can't believe this," Mitzi said suddenly. And then it was as if a dam had broken and all the water was pouring out. Suddenly the princess was speaking, fast and her voice was broken by sobs and sniffles.  
  
"My parents..." she continued. "They promised me, before I left for my aunts, and then here...that nothing would happen to them. At the time it was only threats of death. They told me that there would be no war, that my Uncle was never going to get support...and now he has. I...I feel...so betrayed."  
  
"My...my own uncle wants to kill me. I remember when I was so little him staying at the palace for holidays and playing with us. He let us do things my parents never did...he let us stay up late and gave us sweets. But then I remember he came less and less as I grew up...and when he did come he seemed jealous and got into fights with my father."  
  
"And then one day he was banned from the palace. My parents told me I would see him again...that was the first time they lied to me. Now they lied again...they promised me nothing would happen! That they would be safe! That...that...I would be safe." He voice quieted.  
  
Now that she had started talking she couldn't seem to be able to stop.  
  
"And now there's gonna be a war. Oh...I know that Numair and Daine want to be optimistic. But I just know that my Uncle will invade...and now you pages will have to fight. And...and they might be hurt...my friends...because of me. Kel, Merric, Seaver...Neal," she paused and Roald stiffened. "And you might be killed."  
  
"I doubt my father will put me in danger...though I would like to fight. It'd me nice to know all these knight lessons might be useful."  
  
The nearness of his voice surprised her and she looked up. Upon making eye contact with his blue eyes -eyes that seemed luminous in the dark- she started.  
  
"Don't look at me!" she ordered, turning away.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because...because..." sputtered Mitzi irritably. "You shouldn't see your future bride like this...with red eyes and her hair undone!"  
  
"Oh. Would it help if I turned my back?"  
  
"Just while I wash my face." And while Roald turned around the princess splashed the clear fountain water over her face, wiping away the salty tears. Looking at her reflection she put a few strands of hair back into place.  
  
"I bid you good-night," she said after standing up and swishing over to face Roald.  
  
"You must let me escort you back to your room," Roald replied while scrambling up and holding out his arm.  
  
Smugly Mitzi took it and they walked silently out of the garden. Their silence was broken by Mitzi's occasional sniffle or yawn. The royalty said goodbye at Mitzi's rooms and Roald went off, whistling cheerfully. He whistled just like Neal did when he had found a new beauty to fawn over.  
  
-Meanwhile:  
  
Mitzi shut the door to her room. She felt better after her cry.  
  
'I'm glad Roald is such a gentleman," she thought. "And he's kind too. It's too bad that I'm not in love with him."


	13. Chapter Thirteen

-I finally got another chapter written.

-Thanks to PyschoLioness33 and oceanspike.

-To Kore Yan: yeah, the pairing will not be Roald/Kel. And so far Mitzi does not love Roald, but Roald likes her.

-Chapter Thirteen:  
  
Mitzi sat on her bed, rubbing lotion into her skin. She stifled a yawn. She was tired after the morning lessons; and discouraged. Once again she had had to sit out of the staff lesson because of her own clumsiness. And once again all the pages had grumbled and shot her dark looks. In fact, she seemed to be getting worse rather than better as the year progressed. Maybe it was because she was so caught up in her fear for her parents...maybe she was too stressed out...  
  
There was a knock on her door. Opening it Mitzi had to crane her head up to look squarely into Kel's hazel eyes.  
  
"Hullo, Mitzi," she said.  
  
"It can't be time for lunch already," Mitzi replied. "Haven't we been given a break today in lessons because Sir Myles was ill?"  
  
"Yes. And how do you plan to spend it?"  
  
"I plan to sit here and rest."  
  
This brought a smile from Kel.  
  
"What's so funny?" the princess asked.  
  
"Well, I'm afraid you won't be doing that today."  
  
Mitzi just looked at her.  
  
"Today we have time to help you with your staff work. I saw you at class-"  
  
"I was terrible," broke in Mitzi venomously.  
  
"Sort of," Kel admitted quietly.  
  
"It's the truth," continued Mitzi nobly. "And I don't think there is any hope for me. So while I thank you for the thoughtful offer, I have to turn it down."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why would I spend the afternoon getting more bruised after a morning spent just like that when I can instead use the time to relax, soak in a bath, calm myself."  
  
"Oh...so you're too stressed."  
  
"Of course I'm stressed! My parents are prisoners of my uncle, there is a possible war starting because of me, and my friend's lives are threatened."  
  
"Not to mention your own life."  
  
"Yes...well that too. But I've never had many friends before. And I come here and finally find some who like me for who I am –not just because I am a princess- and now they might have to fight. That's how I repay them for their kindness?"  
  
"I didn't know you could have such unselfish thoughts, Mitzi," Kel teased.  
  
"I didn't either," Mitzi replied nobly.  
  
She walked over to her bed and sat down, brushing her wavy dark-red hair.  
  
"So if you'll excuse me. I'm going to have the maid draw a bath."  
  
"No you're not," Kel said firmly.  
  
"Who are you to tell me what to do?" Mitzi asked queenly.  
  
"I'm your sponsor...that's who," replied Kel. "I know that you're a princess. But here you're a page and you have to listen to your sponsor...and that's me."  
  
Mitzi stopped brushing her hair and looked at Kel.  
  
"You wouldn't dare order me to come with you," she said, eyebrows drawn.  
  
"I wouldn't have to order you to if you'd come willingly. Don't you think that would be much more suitable for royalty?"  
  
Mitzi remained silent.  
  
"Besides," Kel said, offering the princess a loop-hole. "Staff work is used by the Yamanis to relieve stress. It'll just be me and a few others...there will be no pressure. It might help you feel better."  
  
Mitzi thought about this.  
  
"That may be just what I need," she finally said. "I'll come with you than." Picking up her staff she walked out beside Kel to the deserted courtyard.  
  
As they walked out of the palace into the bright light Mitzi had to shade her eyes. So she didn't see Prince Roald, with his staff in hand, until she had stepped into the sand-covered arena.  
  
"Your Grace," she gasped, and dropped into a curtsy.  
  
"Rise, Mitzi. How otherwise will I be able to help you?"  
  
Mitzi turned to Kel.  
  
"You said there wouldn't be any pressure!" she said accusingly.  
  
"There isn't!"  
  
"Yes there is," continued Mitzi, angry. "Now I'm going to embarrass myself in front of my future husband!"  
  
"He doesn't care."  
  
Neal walked up to them.  
  
"Hello Mitzi."  
  
"Good afternoon, Neal," the princess said warmly. She seemed to forget her accusations against Kel.  
  
"I brought Neal with me so that you and Roald can pair up and watch Neal and I."  
  
"Well, I brought Merric, just in case Kel kills me. Don't want the lessons to stop just because I get knocked cold by one to many blows to the head." His green eyes twinkled and Mitzi laughed.  
  
"Good idea, Neal," Kel said, serious.  
  
They all paired up. Kel facing Neal, Roald facing Mitzi.  
  
"Now your first problem, Mitzi," Kel said. "Is that you are too timid. You can't be afraid to hit someone."  
  
Stopping, Kel brought her staff down solidly against Neal's. Then wheeling around she swung up; Neal was barely able to block it.  
  
Mitzi took her own staff and brought it crashing down on Roald's. But the blow jarred her hands and she let go.  
  
"Your holding the staff wrong," Roald said. He moved her hands over so that covered a wider berth of the staff. "Try again."  
  
This time Mitzi was able to keep a hold on her staff, but when she brought it up after the first block, she hit herself in the leg.  
  
"Ouch!" She said, blushing furiously.  
  
"You have to shift your feet a little," Kel told her. "And don't move them, otherwise they will get in the way of your staff."  
  
"Imagine that," the princess muttered sarcastically.  
  
"Here," said Kel. "Lets try defensive stances now." She let Neal attack several times, using different blocks for each one.  
  
Once Roald was sure Mitzi had her stance perfect, he whipped his staff around and towards her. Mitzi was able to block it, but than he wheeled around and aimed it towards her side. The princess was forced to side-step and swing her staff low. Than Roald brought it up and Mitzi, without thinking blocked it, but before he could rise it up again slashed out.  
  
Roald had not been expecting this and the staff caugh him right above the eye. Roald grunted as the wood contacted his skull, and Mitzi heard Kel and Neal gasp. Merric cheered.  
  
"Oh my goodness," Mitzi said, dropping her staff and rushing over to Roald who had sat down, rubbing his forehead. "Are you okay?"  
  
Roald didn't answer.  
  
"I'm so, so, so, sorry. Please forgive me. I never meant to do that. I just got carried away. Please tell me that you're okay!" She kneeled down beside him, hands clasped nervously together.  
  
Kel suddenly noticed Joren on the other side of the arena.

-To reviewers: Next chapter...Mitzi confesses something to Kel!!!!!!!!!


	14. Chapter Fourteen

-To oceanspike: Joren plays a small part in the next part of the plot.

-To Kore Yan: Sry that this can't be Roald/Kel...but I still hope u read it!

-DarkJamAB: Yes...you're right...do u like Kel/Neal fics?  
  
-Chapter Fourteen:  
  
"Please accept my apologies!" Mitzi said as she knelt down next to Roald, rubbing her hands together in distress.  
  
"I'm fine...fine," Roald muttered as he tried to straighten up. He reached up a hand to his forehead and winced.  
  
"Don't touch it!" Mitzi ordered and without thinking the princess leaned his head against her shoulder and pushed back his black hair to better see the bruise she had inflicted on him. A purplish bump was already becoming apparent.  
  
"Neal!" she called. "Do you think you could heal this?"  
  
"Certainly." Neal strode over and placed his pole on the ground.  
  
Almost reluctantly Roald lifted his head from Mitzi's shoulder (which happened to smell quite nice because of her perfume) and turned towards Neal. With a cooling touch of emerald green magic the throbbing subsided.  
  
The Prince started to get up and Mitzi hastily backed away, bowing her head. Merric came over from the sidelines.  
  
"Great shot Mitzi!" the red-headed boy told her.  
  
But Mitzi didn't see it that way. "No it wasn't! It was clumsy of me! My apologies, Your Majesty. I meant to do no such thing! I swear it!"  
  
'Mitzi...why are you so upset?" Roald asked, brushing dirt off his tunic. "We came here to help you be able to do...just that!"  
  
"Yeah," agreed Kel. "So your training must be sticking in your brain a little."  
  
Mitzi smiled ruefully.  
  
Suddenly Kel groaned. "Uh-oh. Here comes trouble."  
  
The others turned to watch Joren of Stone Mountain come striding over to them.  
  
"Your Majesty," he said icily. "Nice to see all of you out here."  
  
"You sound thrilled," Merric commented.  
  
"I couldn't help but notice that you were spending your break-time out here in the sun when you could be inside resting."  
  
"You are too."  
  
"I was going to go check on my mount in the stables," replied, fixing them with bright blue eyes. "When I saw you practicing staff work. Helping Mindelan?"  
  
"Kel doesn't need any help with her staff work," Neal snapped. "She could beat you anytime."  
  
"Really?" Joren raised an eyebrow...he seemed to be disinterested in the conversation.  
  
"Yes. It was me they were helping," Mitzi spoke up.  
  
"Oh," Joren flashed the girl a tolerant smile. He then turned to Roald and the others. "You were helping Gurshrew...how nice."  
  
Roald's face was forcefully blank. The others didn't reply.  
  
"I've seen Gurshrew in the staff arena during class," he continued. "She's pretty pathetic."  
  
Mitzi nobly ignored him.  
  
"But there are some boys who are almost as bad as she is...so why aren't you helping them?"  
  
"Mitzi's our friend," Neal replied.  
  
"But why is Prince Roald here? What are you doing with pages younger than you?"  
  
"Kel and Neal asked me if I could help show Mitzi a few tricks."  
  
'Oh...and instead you end up being hit in the head by a girl?"  
  
Roald blushed slightly.  
  
"Show more respect for your future King!" Mitzi broke in.  
  
"What about his future Queen?" He said, eyeing her.  
  
Mitzi's face flushed visibly.  
  
"Let's go!" she ordered and grabbing her staff stalked out of the staff arena.  
  
Kel rushed after her.  
  
"Don't be so upset!" she said. 'Joren doesn't know anything. He always accuses the girls of flirting with the boys. He meant nothing by it."  
  
"How dare he spy on me like that! Watching me in the practice arenas...I know he follows me! I plan to tell Lord Wyldon so that he can have him sent away!"  
  
They walked into the palace towards Mitzi's room.  
  
"There are a few things I am going to change when I am Queen!"  
  
Suddenly Mitzi's face darkened.  
  
"What's wrong?" Kel asked.  
  
"Nothing you can help me with," the princess replied as she fumbled around in her pocket for the key to her dorm.  
  
"Is it about your parents?"  
  
"That's part of it. But I have plenty of things on my mind." She muttered to herself as she tried to get the key to go in the lock.  
  
Kel watched as the princess, usually calm and composed, fumbled and dropped the key onto he floor. As she reached to pick it up her staff knocked her on the knee. Seeing her chance Kel reached down and snatched the key.  
  
"Unless you tell me what's wrong...I'm not gonna give you your key back." She said firmly.  
  
A look of rebellion crossed the princess's face. "Give me that!" she snapped.  
  
Kel held it above her head and Mitzi made one attempt to jump up and reach it, before she decided it was not ladylike to do such a thing.  
  
"Fine...you win," she said sulkily. She leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. Her eyes were staring straight at the floor and while she looked composed Kel could sense a lot of bottled up stress.  
  
There was a moment of silence.  
  
"I don't love Roald!" Mitzi suddenly blurted out.  
  
"What?" asked Kel, not out of shock...but because she had not expected this.  
  
'It's true," Mitzi said, shaking her head. "I don't love him."  
  
"Mitzi-" said Kel quietly.  
  
"Isn't that terrible! He's such a well-educated, kind, gentleman...but I don't love him!"  
  
"He likes you a lot."  
  
"He does?" Mitzi looked up hopefully. "Then I feel even more terrible for not being able to return his love. We'll get married soon...and I won't be able to truthfully tell him that I love him."  
  
"You've been going through a lot these past weeks," Kel reminded her. "You're all mixed up...what with worrying about your parents, trying hard at your classes...your heart is probably too busy."  
  
'No...my heart isn't too busy."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Because...because I think...I think I like someone else." Mitzi took in a deep breath.  
  
Kel felt her stomach give a nervous jab. She tried to keep her face blank and voice casual.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Someone with green eyes and a lopsided smile," answered Mitzi dreamily.  
  
"How can you be so sure right now?" Kel asked...almost desperately. "Maybe you'll grow to love him."  
  
"Maybe. But I doubt it. I expected love at first sight...and it didn't happen."  
  
"Well...there's nothing you can do about it. You're betrothed."  
  
"I know," Mitzi said calmly as she grabbed the key from Kel's limp hand and fitted it into the lock.  
  
"Thanks," she continued as she closed the door. "It really did help talking to you, Kel." -Hope ya'll enjoyed it! Next chapter: Neal seems different!


	15. Chapter Fifteen

-To DarkJamAB: hope the potential Kel/neal thing doesn't make you stop reading this...puh-lease!

-To Mango Sam: Sooo glad you're back...i missed ur reviews!

-Thanks for the reviews from: PyschoLioness33 and oceanspike

-Chapter Fifteen:  
  
It was after the evening meal and most of the pages had made their way to the library to study. Mitzi walked there with Kel and found that Merric, Faleron and Seaver were already there, sitting at their regular table.  
  
Since none of them had had afternoon classes, there wasn't much schoolwork to do. But Kel, who wanted to get ahead, dived straightaway into her history book. Faleron and Seaver were busy playing cards but Merric was practically bouncing out of his seat as Mitzi pulled up a chair.  
  
"Mitzi! Kel!" he said eagerly. "Guess what I just heard? There are rumors that Tortall's threatening to declare war on Norwestia!"  
  
"Hmmm...WHAT?" Mitzi said, distracted from filing her nails.  
  
Kel looked up from her book.  
  
"Yeah...I heard some of the older pages talking about it."  
  
'What did they tell you...exactly?" Kel asked.  
  
Merric was so excited that he didn't seem to notice Kel's cautious tone.  
  
"They said the Norwestia had been threatening to send some immortals to attack Tortall unless they released someone to them.'  
  
"Did they say who they wanted?" Mitzi asked. She had gone very pale but her voice was casual.  
  
"No," Seaver commented. "But it's probably some POW they want back."  
  
"It might be a general of theirs that we've captured," Faleron suggested.  
  
Merric started talking again, fast.  
  
"Yeah...but King Jonathon won't release this 'person'. So we might actually get a chance to fight!"  
  
"I can't wait to take out a couple of Norwestians who think they can boss us around!" Seaver said while aggressively throwing down one of his cards.  
  
"It's not Norwestia's fault!" Mitzi cried out. They all turned to look at her. She concentrated on filing her nails even though her hands shook. "At least, that's not what I heard," she continued more calmly.  
  
"What did you hear?"  
  
"Well...I heard that the royal family has been betrayed, and those traitors are the ones who are threatening Tortall."  
  
"I wonder when they'll strike?" Merric asked. "I hope they let us pages defend the palace if any immortals come around!"  
  
"You actually want to fight?"  
  
"That's why I became a page...so I can train to be a knight...and that's what knights do...they fight," Merric answered Mitzi. "Isn't that why you became one?"  
  
"Well.." Mitzi paused for a little while. "I guess I just don't think I have enough skill to fight yet." This answer seemed to satisfy Merric.  
  
"Hello everybody,' Neal's drawl said behind them.  
  
"Where were you?" Kel asked, punching him playfully. "You were supposed to meet us here."  
  
"My dad needed to talk to me." He said gloomily.  
  
"Another one of those lectures about not talking back to the Stump?"  
  
"No...a different one."  
  
"Hey Neal!" Merric broke in. "Did you know that we might go to war with Norwestia?"  
  
"Not with Norwestia!" Mitz said fiercely. "We're going to war with the traitors in Norwestia!"  
  
"Yeah...I heard."  
  
"Is that what your dad talked to you about?" Mitzi asked.  
  
"That and something else," Neal wouldn't meet her eyes.  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Neal...wanna play cards with us?" Faleron asked.  
  
"No thanks...I think I'll go to my room now." He turned and walked out.  
  
"What's wrong with him?" Seaver asked nonchalantly.  
  
"Probably some new beauty he fancied got engaged or something. He'll get over it in a day or two," Kel replied knowingly.  
  
The two boys nodded their heads in agreement.  
  
Mitzi, put her nail filer away, stood up and left the table as she saw Roald leaving the library with a handful of books. She caught up with him at the door. He seemed more serious than usual and his blue eyes were troubled.  
  
"Roald," she asked, her voice serious. "Is there really gonna be a war?"  
  
'I'm afraid so."  
  
There was silence.  
  
"All because of me..."  
  
"Look Mitzi," Roald said, suddenly stern. "Don't beat yourself up about this! It's not all about you! Norwesita and Tortall have been allies for a long time. We're joining this war so that we can get your family back on the throne."  
  
"Is there any news about my family?"  
  
"Yes...we do know that your parents are alive...but we don't know where your sisters are."  
  
"Why doesn't people tell me these things!" Mitzi said.  
  
"Because the staff is pretty busy."  
  
"Too busy to tell the girl who most of this involves? This war is revolving around MY parents, MY home, and...and..."  
  
Two tears pushed their way through her eyes.  
  
"Don't cry!" Roald said...alarmed. "I'll...I'll asked Sir Myles to update you on events if you want me to..." He looked at her face hopefully.  
  
"Fine," she said dully.  
  
Roald turned to go but Mitzi put a hand on his shoulder. The touch of her hands caused him to immediately turn around again.  
  
"And...thanks." She said with a sad smile.  
  
-Next chapter: An attack!


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Thanks sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for reviews from PyschoLioness33, oceanspike, and Mango Sam.

-Chapter Sixteen:  
  
The bell rang during the noon meal while everybody was eating.  
  
It wasn't the usual bell that announced the change in classes. Nor was it the chime of the great clock that kept everybody on track. This was the bell that hung above the gatehouse. The bell, that when rung, could be heard all over the palace. The bell that gave vibrations you could feel in your bones.  
  
All the staff, knights, and older pages knew what that bell meant...it meant that Tortall was under attack. Immediately Lord Wyldon and the other teachers, sitting at the high table in the front of the food hall, stood up and the training master began barking out orders.  
  
At first there was chaos. Most of the pages had stood up and food trays tumbled to the floor and drinks were spilled. Kel could hear the sound of armor as knights, in full battle gear, ran past the doorway towards the main entrance.  
  
"Pages!" Lord Wyldon was yelling. "Stay where you are! Teachers bring bows and quivers!"  
  
The pages remained where they stood but a constant buzz of voices filled the hall. But soon the teachers and staff rushed in, their arms filled with weaponry.  
  
"Fourth year pages grab spears and head towards the main entrance!" Lord Wyldon ordered them. The older pages left their places at the table, grabbed spears from the pile in the middle of the floor, and rushed out of the hall, in charge of three knights that came to lead them.  
  
Mitzi went with Kel and the other third years when they went forward, grabbing bows and quivers, and heading towards the south battlements. Now she could hear the sound of battle coming from outside the palace. There were shrieks that didn't come from any ordinary animal, and the familiar voices of knights and training staff shouting orders.  
  
"Stay behind me," Kel told Mitzi as she and their friends ran down the hallways, listening to the sound of flying arrows. "We can't have you get killed."  
  
Mitzi didn't answer.  
  
The third year pages came out of the palace into the courtyard adjacent to the stables. Above the stables were the battlements, ledges that connected the towers. On the battlements were already many knights, but there were several gaps. Rushing up the stairs that led to the towers the pages filled in the gaps.  
  
Kel and Mitzi were nearest the tower. Neal and Merric came over and joined them.  
  
"Be careful, Mitzi," the green-eyed boy whispered to her.  
  
Mitzi nodded, not able to speak through teeth that threatened to chatter.  
  
"With your skills you might hit one of us with your arrows."  
  
"Very funny, Neal," Kel scolded. "This is serious. Tortall's under attack! Can't you even pretend to act like this is not a joke?"  
  
Mitzi was staring wide-eyed at the scene before her. Archers on either side of them were shooting through arrow-holes in the battlements at attacking immortals.  
  
"I've never seen anything like this before," Kel was saying.  
  
"I've never even read about anything like this," Neal added.  
  
"What?" Merric asked.  
  
"We've fought immortals before," Kel explained. "But nothing like this..." she stared over the battlements at the herds of armed centaurs and the flocks of hurroks that flew overhead.  
  
"But never in this number...and I've seen them working with each other before," Neal commented.  
  
Down below them were herds of centaurs and groups of minotaur filling the streets of the city below and surrounding the east wall. Flooding through the gate were knights on horseback to meet the monster but arrows also flew from on top of wall. Winged horses flew overhead, dodging arrows and occasionally swooping and diving.  
  
"The strangest thing is that they're not attacking the city," Neal continued. And indeed while the city was being roamed by the immortals, they were not attacking the fiefs where townspeople went for protection. All the monsters were surrounding the palace, centaurs firing arrows back, minotaurs charging the soldiers on foot.  
  
"I don't see anyone controlling them," Merric said. "There are no humans anywhere."  
  
"And their formation is weird," Kel commented. "They're set up in ranks so we can all see them, but they can't all reach us. And they're at a terrible disadvantage...there's no way the centaur's arrows can get past this wall. The hurroks are in plain view of our own missiles, and the minotours are surrounded."  
  
"You sound just like a general," Merric told her.  
  
"But why are they doing this? It's not a very effective formation."  
  
"No," replied Neal. "But it's an effective formation for showing off force."  
  
"I don't get it," Mitzi broke in.  
  
"Well. Maybe they don't really plan on taking the palace. Maybe all they want to do is show us how much force they really do have. Show us that they have numbers to spare."  
  
Merric yelped triumphantly as he fired an arrow at a diving hurrok, clipping its wing and causing it to turn around unsteadily. "Yeah! Take that you overgrown horse with feathers!"  
  
"So you mean that this may not be a serious battle?" Mitzi asked Neal.  
  
"It's possible."  
  
Mitzi sighed.  
  
"Look at this," Kel told them all. She pointed to another hurrok that was spinning a crazy zig-zag pattern in the air. It swung its head back and forth and the wings moved mechanically, but it seemed to be fighting something.  
  
A minotaur gave a last roar that caused Mitzi to jump in fright. Looking down she saw two knights finishing it off. The sight made her nauseous but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the bright red blood that was staining the beast's furry body.  
  
Just as she was about to cry out in fear Neal moved in front of her. With his tall body in the way she couldn't see the gruesome scene anymore. Mitzi realized she had been holding her breath and she began breathing again.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"It's nothing," he answered, politely and indifferently, not in his usual friendly manner.  
  
Kel too, began firing arrows, staying behind the wall for cover, but aiming her bows through the slit in the stone. Neal and Merric were doing the same thing...only Mitzi's hands were shaking too bad for her to steady a bow.  
  
Then she saw Numair and Daine. The mage was perched on top of the gate, hands spread wide as magic cackled between them like energy waiting to be loosed. Daine too seemed to concentrating.  
  
"Now's a good time for me to practice those spells," Mitzi told herself.  
  
Kneeling because her legs trembled too much she called upon her own amber-colored magic. She felt it rise into her open palm and sit there. She took it and twisted it with her mind as much as her fingers, and sent it out nearby where it kept spinning. A nearby hurrok, unable to see the spinning magic, flew too close and was swept up, wings spread wide as it spun around. The immortal gave an ear-splitting shriek that caused Mitzi to loose concentration and drop the spell. But the hurrok had already been sent spinning far away.  
  
"Wow," Merric said, turning around to face the girl.  
  
"I didn't know you could do that," Neal added.  
  
"That's just because she doesn't show off her gift like you do," Kel replied.  
  
"Hey...kids," the knight next to them said.  
  
"Yes, sir?" Merric saluted.  
  
"It looks like the fight is moving to the other side. I don't think we need you here anymore."  
  
"Where do you want us to go?"  
  
"Go around the corner there. I saw Prince Roald go that way, it's not good for him to be all alone."  
  
"Right away!" Merric answered primly and set off in the direction the knight had ordered them to, crouched down so that the wall protected him from the arrows flying overhead.  
  
Neal and Kel followed him, Kel slinging her quiver over her shoulder. Mitzi was farther behind, convincing herself that this was a good idea.  
  
"This is just great," she said, talking to herself. "Just peachy. My betrothed gets to see the cowardly side of me. Fun."  
  
"Hey! Roald!" Merric waved cheerily at the prince as they rounded around the corner and saw the prince peering over the wall.  
  
The prince raised a finger to his lips.  
  
"Quiet? Hey! Kel! Neal! Listen...Roald wants us to be quiet!"  
  
Kel, who was several yards behind the red-headed boy, wished she could tape his big mouth shut.  
  
The four of them crawled over to the prince.  
  
"You can get up now," he told them. "Hear that? That's the horn of retreat. I think the immortals are leaving."  
  
"Really?" Merric looked slightly disappointed.  
  
"Cheer up," Neal said. "At least we won't have classes today."  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"You shouldn't be over here," Roald said to Mitzi, leaving the others and moving towards the princess. "You should be inside where you won't get hurt."  
  
"What about you?" she replied. "And I didn't have much of a choice. People think I'm just another expendable page to be bossed around."  
  
"This is all part of my training."  
  
"Hey Roald!" Neal called out. "I don't think all the immortals have left. I see something down there."  
  
All five rushed over and peered into the foliage underneath the wall. Sure enough there was something causing tree branches and the grass to move. Immediately Roald and Kel headed down the stairs towards the gate that lead outside. It was smaller door, but protected by two gatehouses and a portcullis. Right now the portcullis had been raised so that the knights could go in and out freely. This side had not yet been attacked.  
  
The four pages open the barred gate, Mitzi following a bit more reluctantly. They stopped right under the doorway, so that they could make a quick escape. Watching the rustling grass Kel notched an arrow to her bow, and fired it into the moving foliage. Before the arrow even thudded into the ground a large centaur had sprung from behind a grassy knoll and charge towards them.  
  
The part horse humanoid rushed towards them, a shield hefted and a spiked club in the other hand. Its four hooves brought it up to them in a matter of second. Kel shot off another arrow but it thudded harmlessly in the immortal's shield.  
  
The centaur reared and pawed at Roald who was the closest. But suddenly he spotted Mitzi, and, almost mechanically he seemed to forget about Roald. Mitzi stumbled backwards but could not escape the centaur. She barely had time to cast her spell before the centaur brought his club crashing down. But the club slid off the air that had hardened in front of the princess. Mitzi was not hurt, but she felt the force of the blow and dropped to her knees.  
  
Angered, the centaur let out a furious roar and reared up, bringing his hooves slamming down on the air-shield. Again, the spell protected the princess, but her arm trembled under the blow.  
  
"Hey! You get away from her!" Roald growled and went forth.  
  
But the centaur seemed to ignore the shout and for a third time tried to hit the fallen girl. Only when Roald's spear pierced his side did the immortal turn around. There was an unnatural look in the creature's eyes that made the prince uneasy. Mitzi, the spell still enacted, was crouched above the ground, breathing hard.  
  
"Get out of my way, boy!" the centaur told him.  
  
"Everyone else has left! You better go with them and remember that Tortall doesn't stand for traitors!"  
  
"I would if I could! But my master has a different mission for me now that I have spotted her." The centaur kept his club raised above the girl.  
  
"Just leave and we won't hurt you," the prince tried to reason. Kel had come up by him with her bow notched; next to her was Neal whose hands glowed with green magic.  
  
"I can't!" the centaur repeated, and there was a hunted look on his face.  
  
With sudden movements Roald struck, catching the centaur right in the stomach with his staff. Kel, using some of her Shang tricks, disarmed the centaur from his club and Merric kicked out near the weak point right above the immortal's knee. Neal rushed over to Mitzi and helped her up. The girl was dazed and stunned...but alive and leaned gratefully on Neal.  
  
All this happened at the same time and the centaur collapsed.  
  
"Maybe now you'll tell us exactly what your master plans to do and why you are serving him."  
  
"You think we are serving him?" the centaur hissed. He was bleeding from many wounds that he had already gotten from the previous battle and he was out of breath. "We are forced into doing this. Rounded up and branded with this..." he pointed to a leather collar –similar to those used on slaves- around his burly neck.  
  
"You're a slave?" Kel asked.  
  
"Yes..." the collar was beginning to tighten around his neck, the way it was magically programmed to do if the captive began either spilling secrets or trying to escape.  
  
"Tell us what your master plans to do!" Roald commanded.  
  
"I'm only telling you this...because my time is near," the centaur continued. He was obviously dying, bleeding freely from too many wounds. The collar began to tighten more and more, making his breathing raspier. "He...wants...her. He's...gotten an...alliance from Lorderr...by promising to give...her...to...the prince."  
  
"Whose her?" Merric asked. Roald and Kel, who knew perfectly well, shushed him.  
  
"I...tell...you this because...Lord Henri...is forcing my...kind into his army..."  
  
The centaur made several more gasps for air, but the collar had tightened too much, and his wounded ribs were exhausted. Mitzi let out a terrified cry as she watched the immortal gasp for air. One again Neal went in front of her, shielded her from the sight.  
  
Roald watched it sadly, and threw his staff down when the centaur lay dead.  
  
-IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: (read below)  
  
-I made this chapter extra long because I am leaving for a two week trip to South Africa. I won't be able to update at all in those two weeks. Oh...and ONE more thing. I'm NOT gonna update unless I get FIVE more reviews!!! FIVE!!!! Puh lease press the purply button!


	17. Chapter Seventeen

-Okay...I'm back...had a GREAT time...

-Thanx so much for the reviews I got...I did get five...so here's the chapter:

-To Mango Sam: here's the next chapter!

-To ZwngDragon: yes...tears...I can be a bitch sometimes...sry...

-To Trickstergal33: thanx so much for the lovely review!!

-To PyschoLioness33: I hope u like this next chapter!

-To Levaire: so glad u liked the chapter!!!!

-Ti-Ti: Actually...I know that Cameroon is right above Nigeria, but besides that not much more. And...yes, I might be a little bit of a tourist...but I've visited Kenya, Zimbabwe, Egypt, and S. Africa, ever since I was five...so I do know that lions don't just roam around villages...though I did live in Savo where there were the famous man-eating lions running around. And yes, we Americans can be dense, but the people in S. Africa can be equally dense...I've had plenty of people come up, thinking that if u live in America you meet celebrities just walking down the street. SO GLAD that u reviewed...and I'm not sure yet...but I think this story is focusing on Mitzi and Roald's romance...with a little bit of Neal/Kel.

-To burping mania: luv your pen-name!

-Chapter Seventeen:

All the pages were buzzing with chatter as they waited for Sir Myles to enter his room and begin class. Even though the attack had been two days ago...the boys were still talking about it; talking about how the immortals had retreated after only a half-hour's fighting. Luckily there had been almost no casualties on the Tortall side, and barely any pages had even been injured. All the pages recognized it as a victorious day.

Mitzi was slumped on her desk. Kel knew something was immediately wrong when she saw the princess had not fixed her hair nor done her make-up...something she did every day. The girl was watching a group of second-year pages talking excitedly.

"We sure showed those Norwestains!" one of them said.

"They can't defeat us with just a few immortals!" his friend added.

"Those Norwestians must be cowards if they send immortals to attack us instead of their soldiers," another one said.

Mitzi sighed and buried her face in her arms.

Kel walked over.

"Don't mind them," she said while sitting down.

"I just wish they'd realize that it's not Norwesita's fault...that it's the traitors who are the evil ones."

Kel also sighed...poor Mitzi had been obsessing about this for the past day.

"It's easy for you," Mitzi told her sponsor. "You know where your loyalty lies. I'm torn. Torn between being Norwesitian-born...and soon to be the wife of the prince of Tortall. I want to save my country...but I need to also protect the nation I will soon rule."

"You're focusing too much on this Mitzi. This war is not your responsibility. Leave the officials to take care of this. You're not helping by ruining your health and sleep."

Mitzi set her jaw stubbornly.

But before she could say anything Sir Myles walked in.

"Sit down class. Sit down," he said with making his way towards his desk. "Class will now begin. Stop talking please."

Obediently his class settled down. This was the one classroom where the pages were not separated by year. The pages all the learned the same thing and they mingled here freely.

"Now...I'm sure you all still are filled with the excitement we experienced two days ago...you all can be proud of the way you defending our palace."

His students beamed happily.

"But I wonder if any of you know why we are really fighting?"

One boy raised his hand.

"Yes Fred?"

"It's because those Norwestians are trying to take over our country."

Many other boys nodded their head in agreement. But Sir Myles only frowned and shook his head.

"Actually that's not the answer. I have been ordered by Lord Wyldon to teach you the real reason we are fighting. He feared that most of you, like Fred, had no actual knowledge of this."

He adjusted himself on his seat before he continued.

"In actuality...we are indeed fighting Norwestians, as Fred said, but we are allies with Norwestia, and we are coming to the aid of that country, where the royalty has been captured and the leadership usurped. But that is not the only reason. The traitors of Norwestia are attacking us because we have something they want..."

But before the knight could go on there was a knock on his door and a servant entered. The man bowed before he entered and turned to Sir Myles.

"My apologies for interrupting," he said. "But I have orders from Lord Wyldon to excuse Page Mitzi from class and bring her to the training master's office."

"Right now?"

"Yes," replied the servant.

Sir Myles nodded and Mitzi, stood up, gathering her books and throwing a quick, scared, glance at her friends. She was in the far corner and couldn't help but overhear what three boys, grinning evilly, were saying.

"Hah! I bet she got into trouble now and Lord Wyldon's gonna dish out some punishment," the first one said as she passed.

"I bet they're going to kick her out...send her packing."

"Glad they finally realized that girls –like that- aren't meant to be pages."

Mitzi ignored this grimly, and followed the servant out of the door and through the hallway. Her mind was blank as she dumbly followed him, not really realizing where she was going, too tired to really focus.

The servant finally led her to the door of the training master's office, and the servant bowed, leaving. Mitzi, automatically, opened the door and walked in, closing it behind her before turning to see Lord Wyldon and Duke Baird, looking at her over the large mahogany desk.

"Good afternoon," Mitzi said weakly, bowing slightly.

"Glad you could come Mitzi," Duke Baird said. His son had inherited his emerald eyes.

"We called you here because we have made a decision that concerns you," Lord Wyldon added.

Mitzi said nothing, just set her books and sank into a chair.

"As you know, Tortall is on the verge of declaring war on Norwestia, and we are going to do our best in returning you parents to the throne. Norwestia and Tortall have a long and good history together."

Know Duke Baird picked up the explaining.

"And it has become almost burdensome to keep your identity secret."

Mitzi, too tired to think, just watched the man listlessly.

Neal's father sighed and tried again.

"We have had many protests, from large city politicians, who are wondering why we are being attacked by Norwestia. It is common knowledge that we have something they want –you- but the public does not know that and is pushing to know. They also want a reason...they want to know why we are declaring war. It is not enough to them that we are good allies...but if they knew that we had their princess, soon to be wife of our own prince...they might accept the war more freely."

"Are you saying that we are going to reveal my identity? That we are going to tell everyone that I am the Princess?" Mitzi asked, her amber eyes coming wide.

"Yes," answered Lord Wyldon gruffly. "We feel it is for the best."

"When? When?"

"Well...Prince Roald's birthday is coming up; he will be his 16th. Because of this, and that in time of war people need morale boosting, the king and queen are going to host a grand ball, in which the whole palace is invited. His Majesty King Jonathon and his wife, Queen Thayet, hope that this will show people that Tortall is not held down by this up-coming war."

"Is this when?"

"Yes," Duke Baird said. "At this ball we will present you as Princess Mitziarianna."

A large smile broke across the princess's face.

'May I leave now?" she asked.

"You're excused," Lord Wyldon said.

Jumping up, Mitzi, quite unlike herself, raced towards her room, laughing with joy. With quick movements she took out her suitcase from under her bed and starting rummaging through it, finally pulling out a pair of shoes.

As Mitzi was busy laughing and singing in turns, Kel burst in.

She took one look at the suitcase on Mitzi's bed and gasped.

"Oh no! They've sent you away, haven't they?"

"No! No! Not at all!" Mitzi replied, laughingly. Her voice, which had been so lifeless the past days, was filled with its melody again.

"Then what did they summon you for?" Kel asked, relieved.

"They've going to hold a ball!"

Kel's reaction was not as excited as Mitzi's. "That's all?"

"And they're going to tell everyone that I am the Princess!"

Now Kel's jaw dropped. "What?"

"Isn't that great?" said Mitzi, shoving her wardrobe open. "Whatever should I wear? This green one?"

"But why?"

"Because they feel they can't keep it a secret anymore if there really is supposed to be a war. Or is this red one better on me?"

"But if they tell...your Uncle will know where you are!"

"So? They'll find a way to protect me. Maybe the yellow dress is better, it has some matching shoes."

"I take it you like this idea."

"Of course I do!" Mitzi said, finally turning away from her outfits and sitting down on he bed. "Now I won't have to keep my loyalty secret! I can find ways to help my parents...people will listen to me now! And...best of all...I don't have to do anymore staff work!"

Kel looked at the princess astounded.

At this point Neal came in.

"Mitzi!" he said, concerned. "What-

He stopped as he saw Kel next to the girl.

"I brought your books," he said. "You left them in Lord Wyldon's office."

"Thanks so much Neal," Mitzi said. And as the boy heard Mitzi's voice –melodious once again- he smiled. Trying to act casual he asked.

'What was the meeting about?"

"Oh Neal...there's going to be a ball!"

"A ball?"

"Yes...food, singing... and dancing!" Leaping up Mitzi grasped Neal's hands, and, singing sweetly, swung him around.

Neal laughed as he allowed himself to dance around the room.

-Liked it?


	18. Chapter Eighteen

-Thanx 4 the luverly reviews from PyschoLioness33, Mango Sam, Oceanspike, and Weiryn's Daughter.

-Sry it's taken me soooo long to update but I just started high school and needless to say my days are an endless routine of homework, eating, cross country practices, and sometimes I sleep.

-Chapter Eighteen:

Kel was brushing her hair when she heard a knock on the door. With a squeak Mitzi -who had been buttoning up her dress- rushed behind her dressing curtain. Keladry placed her brush down on Mitzi's chair –over which were strewn many articles of clothing- and walked over to the door.

By the time she had crossed the room the knocking had increased into incessant pounding.

"What do you want?" Kel said as she opened the door. Several pairs of eyes looked at her desperately.

"Please let us in," Seaver begged, clasping his hands together.

Kel tried to contain a laugh. "Why?"

But she let them in anyway. The boys filed in meekly. Kel knew immediately what they wantedâ€and smiled, taking on a voice, -similar to Lord Wyldon's- barked out. 'Line up!"

Obediently the boys lined up.

"Stand at attention!"

The boys straightened up and looked directly ahead. Kel walked down the line of pages, hands clasped behind her back. Finally a smile broke across her face.

"Please help us, Kel!" Merric asked. His tie was crooked. Kel walked over and fixed it for him.

"So, once again the threat of a social event causes all of you to beg for my help." Kel said while folding Seaver's collar.

"Where's Mitzi?" one of the boys asked.

"Here I am!" the princess called from behind the screen.

"Why don't you come out and help me?" Kel asked, busying trying to force a button on the cuff of Faleron's sleeve.

"Because I want my dress to be a surprise," Mitzi answered poking her head out from behind the screen and smiling teasingly at the boys. Her hair was done up in curling rolls. (A/N: is that what they are called?)

Kel sighed but continued, holding her breath slightly as she fixed a wrinkle in Neal's tunic. She was almost relieved when the wrinkle had been pulled smooth.

"Can you try and fix my hair?" Neal asked, holding up his wet blonde locks.

"L-looks fine to me," Kel stuttered.

"Yeah, but there's this big tangle in the backâ€and I didn't have enough time to reach it."

Kel, trying not to blush and pasting on her most indifferent Yamani face, reached for her brush but before she could touch Neal's neatly trimmed hair Mitzi called out,

"Hey Nealâ€which of these shoes do you like better?" Mitzi slim arm poked into view, holding the straps of two pairs of shoes.

And so Neal moved away before Kel had a chance to raise the brush.

"I bet Prince Roald doesn't have this problem," Faleron muttered.

"Of course not," Mitzi called back. "That's why he's the prince. He has a duty to be perfectly dressed and charming at every social occasion."

"And I suppose he likes dancing too," Seaver sighed. "I just can't get the hang of it."

"Well then there'll be more pretty girls for me to dance with," Merric teased.

"You can't dance any better then me!"

"Well I can dance better then both of you," Neal replied.

"How?" asked Faleron. "Last time I saw you dancing I nearly spit my drink out."

''Cuz Mitzi gave me lessons."

"You gave him lessons?" Kel asked.

"Yeah," Mitzi replied, keeping her head hidden behind the screen.

"And remember that you promised me a dance," Neal said as he left. "Thanks Kelâ€but I gotta go now. See ya at the banquet." The other boys, once their hair was fixed and tunics straightened, filed after him.

Kel immediately turned on Mitzi.

"Come out of there!" She demanded.

Mitzi didn't answer.

Kel, the angry page, barged behind the screen and grabbed Mitzi by the wrist.

"Let me go! I'm not decent! You have no right to see me this way!"

"What do you mean you 'aren't decent'? You're all dressed and we're both girls!"

"But my hair!"

Kel dragged the girl and sat her down on the king-sized bed.

"What is this about? What are you getting so upset over?"

"You promised Neal a dance?" Kel asked, suddenly realizing that she was acting rather stupid.

"Yeahâ€so?" The princess replied, undoing a long curl.

"Youâ€you shouldn't have done that!"

"Why? 'Cuz you like him?" Mitzi said, swiveling her head to confront Kel, and narrowing her amber eyes.

"Noâ€," replied Kel calmly. "Because you are betrothed."

"Wellâ€Neal doesn't know that and it would have been rude to refuse him."

Kel glowered silently but Mitzi's attention had already wandered to pinning up her hair.

"Oh I'm so excited!" she said. "I've missed the balls we had at home so much."

"Aren't you nervous about them announcing you?"

"Not at all. I've been preparing for this all my lifeâ€only I had expected it to happen when I arrived at the palace, not after I've spent weeks there pretending to be a page. But oh wellâ€I have the dress I always imagined and my betrothed."

"Wellâ€I'll see you at the ball then. It's time you know."

"I know," the princess replied airily. "But I'm not ready yet. I'll be there in a little while."

Kel left the room and headed towards the banquet hall. Before she could even see the hall –as she rounded the corner- she could hear the music and talking. It sounded fun but Kel didn't do too well in these social eventsâ€she easily stood out –even amongst the palace ladies- because of her height. And a lot of the elderly nobles would comment scornfully as she passed, and none of the boys would ask her to dance because she was unladylike.

But she had to be here because it was her friend –Prince Roald's- birthday.

The hall was decorated like a dream. Floral wreaths were stretching from doorway to doorway. The chandeliers were all lit, and over the tables were draped silk table-cloths. Several tables had been pushed together and upon their combined surfaces was the food needed to feed the hundreds of pages and guests.

People were already dancing, twirling and whirling on the cleared area, and everyone wore their best clothing. The queen and king were dressed regally, the prince in a baby blue tunic with golden sash, and the palace ladies dressed in all possible hues.

Kel –who had missed lunch because Mitzi insisted on having her help in curling her hair- was starving and had to force herself to walk over to the food tables. Once there she grabbed the first thing and took a huge bite. As she turned around, there was Neal.

"Hey Kel."

Kel, who had her mouth full, tried to smile at him while cursing her huge appetite.

"Having fun?"

Kel nodded, chewing faster than she had ever done before.

"That's a nice dress," he commented.

"You sound surprised," Kel said, swallowing way too big of a bite.

"I guess I am a little," he said teasingly. "I've never thought of you as the kinda girl who would dress up and go to a ball. I always think of you in your page uniform."

For some reason this made Kel's face heat up. She smiled, and was just ready to have a real conversation with Neal when Mitzi entered.

-the end of chapter eighteen

Next chapter: Mitzi dances with more boys than just Neal and Roald


	19. Chapter Nineteen

OMG I haven't updated in like, forever. Sry about this, school was hard, made track, homework, friends, family…..yeah so that's my excuse. Anyway, my sister made me write this, in fact shes right behind me right now, reading every single word, so I just want to thank all those who reviewed and hope you will still read this even though it has been forever!

Chapter Nineteen:

Mitzi, who had waited years and years for this, was determined to make her entrance as grand as she had imagined it all her fifteen years. She had long awaited this moment and was not to be cheated out of any grandeur. This was her moment to shine and then revel in all the luxuries afforded a princess…..once everyone knew she was a princess.

Mitzi carefully chose a time when no one else was entering the room –she had made sure she was 'fashionably' late. But her timing worked out because when she entered all the heads in the room turned to look at her….and it made her feel happy again; she was back in her place; no more having to pretend to be something she wasn't; she knew how to be a princess.

With the graceful walk all princesses were carefully taught, she descended the staircase, pausing a moment to look at her reflection in the glass teardrops hanging from the chandelier. She knew she didn't have to, but it was nice to know that even after three weeks of neglect she could still 'dress up'.

And indeed she turned heads. Her curled hair was piled elaborately on top of her head, with a few dangling the perfect length to frame her face. Tear-drop amber earrings sparkled in her earlobes that matched the sparkling in her amber eyes, and her eyes were sparkling; they were sparkling because of happiness. And even though at first Mitzi's golden dress, which draped from her shoulders to the floor in elegant layers and ruffles, caught everyone's eye, it could not be denied that her happiness was the effect that made her the most beautiful girl in the room. It was not her shimmering eye shadow or the beaded sandals that set her apart – it was the dazzlingly happy smile that she flashed around.

Most of the boys –even the ones that had made fun of her in the classroom and training ground- rushed over to take her hand as she stepped down from the last stair. But Roald was there first and took her hand protectively.

"Aren't you going to wish me a happy birthday?" he asked, looking down at her with dark blue eyes.

"Of course," she replied, teasingly. "I haven't forgotten. You just never gave me the chance….Happy Birthday."

"You look…..beautiful."

"Why thank you. This is a special occasion you know….being your birthday."

"And you can't have forgotten that this will be your 'coming out' as well."

"That too," said Mitzi with an excited smile that showed she hadn't forgotten.

"Did you get me a gift?"

Mitzi looked at him. "I'm sure that is rude manners for anyone…..but especially a prince to ask such a question."

"I only asked because I thought perhaps the first gift you gave to me tonight would be the first dance of the evening?"

Mitzi clasped his hand and they made their way over to the dance floor. Roald was a marvelous dancer and everyone admired them as they spun along. Unfortunately, when the first song was over, Roald was called over to the table where his mother and father sat, for he needed to prepare to give his birthday speech. When he left, however, Mitzi was not alone for immediately many pages rushed over; Neal one of the first.

"May I claim the dance you promised me?" he asked.

"I seem to have the time," she replied, teasingly. As they danced Neal started the conversation.

"Are you nervous?"

"No," Mitzi answered, she was happily oblivious to everything and didn't realize what she was saying.

"You don't mind it…..in front of all these people?"

"Not at all….this is what I was born to do."

"But the danger."

Suddenly Mitzi stopped –mid way in the dance so that a nearby couple nearly spun into them- and said, "Wait! How did you know?"

Neal just looked at her sadly. "My father is Duke Baird. He told me everything….he wanted me as an extra body-guard. Not that Kel isn't enough. He just wanted a man around."

"I see," Mitzi said. "So you knew all along?"

"No….only a week ago really."

"Things won't be changed between us….will they?" asked Mitzi. That was the only thing she regretted by this ball. There was always the risk of people –even those you had known for a long time and had friendships with- treating you different once they discovered you were royal and had power.

"It….it already has," said Neal sadly. They were still not dancing; two people like an island in a sea of dancers. "When you first came I had hopes that we might…i….don't know," he paused.

"Yes?" urged the princess.

"I had hoped we might….be a couple."

Mitzi didn't know what to do. She just looked embarrassedly around. Her princess lessons had failed to ready her for this. "Neal…"

"But I understand that since you're a princess….we just won't work together. And I understand about your betrothal to Roald….you two will make a brilliant pair of rulers. Both independent, educated….beautiful."

Mitzi took Neal's hand. "You know, Neal. There's another person who would very much enjoy a dance with you."

"Really?" he asked dully. "Who?"

"A very special girl," Mitzi said. "A girl who won't let you down, who can put up a fight." She gently took Neal's shoulders and turned him around, until he was facing the column that Kel was leaning against; she was watching the dancers with an expression of seclusion on her face.

"Kel?" he asked, surprised. He studied the tall girl, as if seeing her in a different light.

Mitzi gave him a gentle push and the green-eyed joker moved forward and he walked away, needing no further urging.

Mitzi smiled, and looked around. She was still in the middle of the dance floor- stuck. Suddenly an arm snaked around her waist, forcing her to twirl around. It was Joren and he was leering at her.

"I know your secret," he said, drawing her closer. She tried to resist him, but he was much taller and there was something commanding in his icy blue eyes.

"W-what secret?" she asked, as composedly as she could, trying to free her hand from his tight grip.

"I've been following you, and have figured out why you have gotten special treatment: the teachers don't punish you for late work, you sit out of training practices, you never have extra chores. I….I….think you are a witch and a spy from Norwestia, bewitching the king and queen! I've heard of strange magic from Norwestia and I have half-a-mind to tell them!"

"You're crazy! You must be drunk!" Mitzi protested. She was worried for a moment that Joren had guessed the truth –though it didn't really matter- but he was so far from the point it was insane!

"And I will tell them," he continued. "Unless you give me something."

"What?" Mitzi asked curiously.

He just looked her up and down.

"Ewww! Never!" Mitzi struggled even more, but it was like she was stuck in an eternal dance; the music just wouldn't stop. She was trapped, by a man who was obviously a little drunk, and couldn't escape him without raising a fuss, and raising a fuss just wouldn't do; nothing was to be out of place on her special night. But how was she to get away without drawing unseemly attention to herself?

Suddenly she saw her savior; he came in the form of a dark blue-eyed prince who grabbed the shoulder of Joren.

"I believe it is quite rude to out-stay your welcome," he said, voice dangerously calm. "And this lady seems to think that you've quite out-stayed yours."

"This is none of your business," Joren snarled.

"Well, it is my birthday, after all." He swept Joren aside in a very kingly manner and took Mitzi's hand. She leaned on him.

"Thank you," she said after a while, slowly. "That was very chivalrous of you."

"Don't mention it," he replied with a lopsided grin. "But the real reason I was trying to find you is that it is time….if you know what I mean."

Princess Mitzi looked up at him. "Now?"

"Yes."

"Well….i guess I am all set. Is my hair alright?"

"It looks fine," he said with a laugh. He led her to the table with the queen and king; both were dressed in fine clothing. King Jonathon was the one to stand up. He put out his arm and the orchestra in the alcove stopped playing. The people stopped dancing and the people at the tables stopped eating; they all gave their fullest attention to their king.

"Good people. We are here to celebrate the 16th birthday of my most beloved son and heir Prince Roald. He is a boy worthy of all the praise I could ever muster and I have much pride in him. However, we have another duty to announce, hopefully one that will clear up many things. I have heard the rumors and know your doubts and fears about the inevitable war with Norwestia. And to settle those fears I would like to introduce someone…..someone who many already know. However, I would like to introduce this person as someone else, for she has a story to tell and hopefully this story will clear things up."

He turned towards Mitzi, she and Roald stepped in front of the table, which rested on a high platform. Mitzi looked down at the faces of the people, expectantly. She felt exulted, elated, this was HER moment.

"I introduce to you," King Jonathon announced, raising his arms. "Princess "

Suddenly he was interrupted by a loud crash and screams of people. Something had burst through one of the nearest stain-glass windows of the ball room, shattering the glass everywhere. The unhindered wind suddenly swept in, blowing out all the candles and the fires. It was suddenly cold and dark. People were screaming and Mitzi could hear the sounds of swords being unsheathed. But she couldn't see who the new attacker waas until she felt herself being lifted up…

Next time: duh Duh DUN!


End file.
